


The Odd Couple

by My_LittleCorner



Series: NSFW Clawen [2]
Category: Jurassic World Trilogy (Movies)
Genre: A bunch of prompts straight outta New Girl are being suggested by my editor in Chief, Bantering, Clawen, Explicit for not only future sexy time but also for language and boldness, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Humor, It will be all fun and games until someone sees the other naked, It’s going to get GRAPHIC, Maybe some double meaning humor, Rating it Explicit from the start because reasons, Roomates, There’s gonna be a lot of edgy and wild stuff happening, clawen au, maybe some angst at some point, references to jurassic world
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-24
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-08-07 03:11:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 47,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16400246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/My_LittleCorner/pseuds/My_LittleCorner
Summary: [Clawen AU] Owen Grady puts out an ad looking for a roommate after his best friend moved out, new in town Claire Dearing answers to it and moves in with him.





	1. Chapter 1

When Claire Dearing got the opportunity for a promotion at work, she never thought it’d come with a three-sixty life altering experience. She was a hard working woman, the kind who seemed to never have time for friends, family, or a love life. She was the type who would spend her Friday nights with a glass of wine and working on her laptop, while society expected her to be out at a bar meeting handsome bachelors and getting free drinks from strangers.

She was young, beautiful, intelligent, and radiated the kind of confidence that made men fall on their ass wondering what was it that had just hit them, and left them asking for more.

As a Political Science graduate, Claire had successfully accomplished the first stage up to her dream job. Since she was a little girl, she had unconditional love for animals. She always felt it was unfair that there weren’t enough laws out there protecting them and she vowed to change this once she was old enough.

She worked for an animal rights organization. Their goal was aimed to work to preserve animal habitats and protect animals both in the wild and living domestically with humans. Headquarters had handpicked her to be the leader of their new office in the northeast side of the country. She was not only known for her hard work and determination, aside from her great leadership skills, but also as someone whose intentions and motives to save animals in extinction and her determination to give any other species a voice were genuine and came from the heart.

She had immediately taken the opportunity that had been given to her, even if it meant she had to move to a new city and start her life from scratch; find a place to live, the restaurants that would fit her eating habits, and many other things.

The redhead never left anything to chance, she had to know exactly where she’d be standing three steps ahead. Taking advantage of technology, she had already started searching for an apartment to rent. She had spent the last few days making calls and making sure she found something she could not only afford, but that was in a safe neighborhood and close to work.

She had elaborated an entire chart, her top five choices listed in the order of her personal preference. She then graded them by expense, safety, and location. Many would think she was overreacting, but for Claire there was not such thing when it came to choosing the place where she’d settle and start the new phase of her life.

By the time her plane landed in the city that never sleeps, she had everything already taken care of. She had booked a hotel room for the first couple of nights, given that she still had some arrangements to take care of. She had narrowed her list of five places to only two (her almost final choice and a backup) and wanted to take the final decision after standing in her potential new home in person and meeting who could become her new roommate, before taking the ultimate decision.

If there was something she had noticed during this process was that Manhattan was expensive, so sharing expenses had become a requirement in her list.

She had talked to the guy over the phone a few times by now; discussed terms of rental fees and other bills. He also wanted a quick meeting before closing on any agreement, he had kept making emphasis on how he wanted to do an evaluation on prospect driven by chemistry. Claire figured she’d have to keep her claws hidden and be on her best behavior if she wanted to impress this guy. She had an appointment to meet him so he could show her the apartment the following day.

 

* * *

 

Owen Grady had lived in New York City since he was eighteen. He and his best friend had promised they would live together in a place where they made the rules which were as follow; rule number one, No rules. Rule number two, no one told them what to do. It was one of those places that lived up to the ideology of ‘ _bros_ _before_ _hoes_ ’ ...until one of them ended up falling in love.

 _Love_ , ugh. Owen Grady always felt that was an overrated state of mind. Why fall in love when he could just enjoy the fun part? A true charmer by nature and handsome, he had ladies eating from the palm of his hand. He could have a new woman every night if he wanted to, but he wasn’t a ‘dog’. He liked to be selective, even when all he would do was have them for one night, two if she was really hot.

The man was feeling a little disappointed and betrayed lately, his best friend had finally gotten married to his long time girlfriend and had moved upstate with her. Owen was now left with a half empty apartment and a full rent to pay. He was so pressed about this, he didn’t realize that was the pitch he had used for his ad when looking for a new roommate. He was used to living with someone he trusted and someone he got along with. He could be an eight-year old at times, and that’s how he ended up publishing an ad seeking for a new best friend who would pay him.

It was until one of the calls was from a woman, when his entire thinking shifted. Why haven’t he thought about this? A female roommate... better yet, a hot female roommate. At times, he had to stop himself from asking her to send him photos. He didn’t want to scare her off (in case she was good looking). However, he found a way to tell her that even if the ad didn’t state it, it was clearly advised between the lines that first impression chemistry would be an important aspect on his decision making, among other evaluations — read if she was hot, smelt good, and was straight.

He had agreed to meet her once she made it to town, she had told him she had taken on a new position at work and was flying out that coming weekend.

Owen was in front of the television watching his cartoons that Saturday morning. He was having a bowl of Lucky Charms for breakfast, in his boxers, when a knock to the door made him remember he had that one appointment with the hopefully very hot girl he had been talking to over the phone.

“Coming!” He called out, milk dripping down his chin after talking with his mouth full. He cleaned his face with his hand and wiped it over the cushion before trotting to his room to find a pair of pants and a shirt. He managed to get half decent while getting dressed on his way back to the door.

Owen opened it to find Claire standing there. She was wearing a pair of plum skinny jeans, which made him give her curves a solid ten. A cream long sleeve v-neck loosen top, his eyes unable to stay away from the freckles sparkling through her collar bone, and plum high heels that perfectly framed her firm legs. Her beautiful long red locks twirled over her shoulders, her fine fingers holding a golden clutch. “Mi casa is now su casa.” He offered a cheeky smile, “do you need help moving in?”

Owen hadn’t been the only one to notice how attractive the person standing in front of them was. Sure, Claire wasn’t the type to go touching around, but that didn’t mean she didn’t look around. She had found herself biting on her lower lip once her green eyes took on his biceps, almost missing the stains on his tank top. She tilted her head a little, almost wishing she could turn him around and check his ass. She blushed lightly at this thought. He was also very handsome and she had never found messy sleepy hair as cute as she did right now, “did I wake you?” She wondered apologetically.

Owen kept the door open for her to step inside, and in that moment Claire felt how it was like to have a spell broken. How Cinderella went from feeling in a fantasy world with a prince taken out of her wildest dreams (Okay, maybe for Cinderella they weren’t wild dreams), and out of the sudden... she was back in rags, horses were mice, and everything in front of her was a nightmare needing cleaning and tidying up.

The redhead gulped, it was after she took the dirty clothes lying all over the living room area and the mountain of dishes stacked in the sink, when she realized his television was on and he had been watching old Hanna-Barbera cartoons. Then she saw that hand print on the couch, his personal napkin.

“Cool huh?” He nodded pointing at the television once he had closed the door and joined her. “Imagine living in an era where dinosaurs are alive and you get to have your own raptor.” He was a Flintstones fan.

“Weren’t those supposed to be lethal?” She chuckled, taking a step backwards to the door.

Owen fetched his cereal bowl and went back to his breakfast before sitting back down. He filled his mouth with a spoon of milk and gulped it as he shook his head, “Come on, sit down.” He pointed out at the couch beside him. “You live here now, take your shoes off, get comfortable.”

“I would, but...I’m afraid something will jump on me or—.” She wrinkled her nose.

“Nah, I don’t have pets.”

“What about pests?” Claire wondered.

“C’mon, the couch won’t swallow you!” He insisted, motioning her over with his arm.

“Maybe because it’s already stuffed.” She cleared her throat and hesitantly sat on the single couch beside him. She frowned and shifted around, unable to get comfortable. She reached under the cushion and started to feel around. She felt something soft, which couldn’t be the thing causing the couch to be so uncomfortable but she still pulled it out.

She wrinkled her nose and blushed lightly while her fingers were pinching what it seemed to be a dirty pair of boxers. She parted her lips and snorted.

“Um, I was in the middle of doing some laundry.” He snatched the pair of boxers away from her and stuffed them between the cushion in the couch he was sitting on.

“When, last week?”

“So, um... you can have access to everything. Like, if you get hungry just grab whatever and you can use the tv and the PlayStation.” He pointed over. “I’ll give you the WiFi password, ours is the one called ‘VIRUS.EXE’... but don’t worry, it’s completely safe.” He explained, “my EX best friend and I had to deal with the punks across stealing it our WiFi, so.” He shrugged.

“Um..” Claire tilted her head.

“So yeah, you can grab and use anything, except my Lucky Charms. I don’t share those.” He added before he went back to eating. “But feel free to lurk around.” He invited her to take a self-guided tour through the place.

Claire frowned and sat there watching him go back to eating his cereal and watching his cartoon. She casually stood up and looked around the place. She wished she had something where to do a pro-con list, or re evaluate her choices. Her green eyes were careful to examine every corner of the place, it was exactly as described on the ad, it was just that it looked completely different than how she had imagined it; she pictured something clean and came to find his laundry sorted out all over the living room.

She mentally compared her budget and what she could afford opposite his mess. She found the room which was to be hers was already furnished and the bed was practically new. His former roommate didn’t seem to be as big of a mess as this guy was, which she appreciated.

She took her cellphone out, sat on the bed, and started to work on a quick chart which started to suggest that the place was still her best choice even with the messy roommate added to the con column.

After about ten minutes, Claire went back to the living room and decided to take the place, “so when can I move in?” She wondered, a soft smile in her lips.

Owen sipped the last of his milk from his cereal bowl and smiled at her, “I thought you already had.” He smirked.


	2. Chapter 2

Moving into a new place was always exhausting, that’s how Claire had ended up practically collapsing in her new bed. She had moved in to her new apartment that following Sunday morning and had spent all day unpacking.

The redhead was the kind of girl who needed to have everything tide, cleaned, and in its place. She couldn’t live with the few luggage cases she had travelled with be sit there. She also felt the need to clean every corner of her new room and readjust the furniture to her liking. She had moved the bed around, leaving it in the middle of the room — not too close to the window nor the door. She had also made sure the study desk was by the window, so she could take advantage of the sunlight without the reflection threatening to leave her blind.

That Sunday afternoon, Owen had so kindly offered her some space in the bathroom cabinet under the sink. Yes, they were to share a bathroom, it would be something interesting to see. After all, it hadn’t been ten minutes when they were already having some disagreements about it. She had put some towels in her new space (no problem with those), as well as a box of tampons — these apparently were out of space objects for the man she had agreed to be roommates with.

“I’m sure you keep a box of condoms here somewhere!” Claire argued.

“So?”

“If you get to keep your small sized condoms in here, why can’t I keep my tampons here as well?” She spat.

“WHOA, I’m not near close to being a small size, Princess!” He was offended, the nerve! Claire crossed her arms against her chest and let her eyes fall down to his crutch before offering him an incredulous look. Owen was looking for the box in the one drawer he had kept, it was a mice nest and Claire wondered how he managed to find anything there. Once he found the box, he handed it over to the redhead for her to see herself, “you can read right? What does it say over here!?” He tapped with his finger, “extra large. E X T R A large!” He answered his own question for her.

“Please, that doesn’t mean anything!” She smiled noticing how her insult had triggered him, “you can easily get an extra large box and fill it with your actual size so you don’t feel bad about having a teenie-weenie...”

“Do you want me to go through an inspection? Because I’m not shy!” He started undoing his belt and was more than ready to pull down his jeans and boxers for her too see.

“Ugh, I’m not interested in seeing _it_... not now, not ever.” The redhead looked away before trying to retake on the subject. “I’m keeping the tampons in here, you won’t even be able to tell!” She rolled her eyes, “unless you’ll be lurking on my side for some reason.”

Owen rolled his eyes and went back to fixing his belt, his hazel eyes following her out of the bathroom. Once she was gone, he didn’t hesitate to start lurking around the different kind of beauty supplies she had neatly set on her side of the sink counter. The redhead had set them up in an specific order, one Owen immediately started to mess with the moment he grabbed the first flask at his hand’s reach.

It was her perfume, he opened it and wrinkled his nose at the scent. He put it back down, ignoring the previous position it had been on. The next thing he grabbed was her body lotion, he took the lid off and sniffed it. It was vanilla scent, one he immediately recognized as that peculiar scent in her that he couldn’t get enough of. The young man smiled to himself and leaning back to peek through the door — make sure she wasn’t near by, he poured some on his finger and rubbed it around his wrist.

He didn’t feel like he was done messing with her things until after he had squeezed her shampoo bottle and made it blow some bubbles and had washed his hands with the soap she used for her face. He even used some acne wash just in case. The man-child made sure to leave everything in order without realizing he had altered it, and left the bathroom.

 

* * *

 

The redhead woke up that next Monday morning in a room brightly cleaned, she checked the time on the alarm clock she had set on her nightstand — it was only six in the morning, her body was used to waking her up early, it didn’t matter the day or of she was on vacation. She didn’t mind it though, at least not any more. Claire was wearing a pair of hunter green flannel pajama pants and a white tank top.

It was until she stepped out of her room when she was reminded that the rest of the apartment was a mess. She quietly walked to the kitchen, her bare feet feeling the cold of the ceramic tile floor beneath them. She wrinkled her nose at the sight and smell of the pile of dishes Owen had over the sink.

Claire pulled the fridge door open, she was hungry and looking for some breakfast, this one was practically empty. She reached out for some containers and immediately threw them away after finding the left overs in them were way passed their expiration date. In fact, almost ninety percent of the food in there was expired including four out of the five cartons of milk Owen kept in there for some reason.

She sighed after emptying the fridge and moved to search for some food in the cupboards. The redhead found his cereal and taking the box in her hands, rolled her eyes, “‘I share everything but my Lucky Charms’.” She snorted, “I’m not five.” She mumbled to herself and put it back down. After looking for something eatable for about five minutes, Claire found some peanut butter and bread. She figured that would have to do, so for the first time in years...she had a peanut butter sandwich for breakfast, with a glass of water because the orange juice was expired and she didn’t trust his good milk.

After breakfast, she started washing that pile of dishes. She hated to do the chores for him but knew it was the only way to get it done. She was determined to clean that apartment and make it a place suitable to live in, and from that day on make sure he kept it that way. The redhead wasn’t going to turn into his maid either, she’d make sure to split those chores in half for him to help around, too.

After the dishes were done, she cleaned the rest of the kitchen — including the fridge which stunk horribly. Leaving the kitchen impecable took her about an hour, and now she was ready to move on and start with the living room.

She gathered piles of things she figured he had even forgotten existed, like a baseball bat and an old GameCube console. By the time she was done cleaning under the couch and every corner of the apartment, she had gathered a few boxes of stuff that could be easily sold on eBay and a box with four different styles of panties and three bras — neither of them were from the same set. Not that she had any doubts, but this confirmed she would need to either get soundproof earplugs or ask Owen to tell her in advance he would be bringing a lady friend over; this so she could stay in her office that night.

By noon, the redhead had left that apartment, including the bathroom, smelling like clean for the first time in a long while. Her white tank top was now grey, but she didn’t mind. She gathered the garbage bags she had filled and dragged them outside. After a couple of trips, she had managed to take them all out and also the boxes of crap she had put together.

Claire took the liberty to display them outside their building and start selling them to the people walking by. What difference did it make? To have them lost in his apartment, thrown away, or sold.. with the latter she was at least making some money.

‘One’s trash is another’s treasure’ was a saying for a reason; Claire had managed to make almost a hundred dollars with all that crap. She ran to the nearby store and got all sorts of groceries with the money; fresh fruit, milk, some vegetables, and even some snacks...among other things.

She was glad she didn’t have to formally start her new job until Wednesday since that had left her the whole day free to settle up properly, that included unpacking, cleaning, and now even grocery shopping.

Claire had gotten her own key that same Saturday morning, she used it to unlock the door to her apartment and once she placed all their groceries away, she headed straight to the shower. She had brought her outfit with her, avoid having to walk from the bathroom to her bedroom in only a towel.

By two in the afternoon, she was showered and comfortable in her new apartment. She could breathe in and scent the difference between now and the moment she first walked in. She was on the couch, working on her laptop when her roommate finally woke up.

He was wearing a pair of red flannel pants, a white t-shirt, and his hair all messy. He rubbed the back of his neck, his bare feet stepping out of his bedroom when his hazel eyes immediately grew big after taking the drastic change in his place. “What did you to to my apartment!!?” You’d think he would be glad someone had cleaned up.

“I cleaned, you know... that thing you do with a broom? You should try it some time.” She casually suggested, her eyes never leaving the laptop screen.

“Brooms are for witches... oh wait—“ He rolled his eyes and walked toward the kitchen and fetching for a bowl, he fixed himself some Lucky Charms. “What did you do with my milk?!” He called out, his head in the fridge.

“I threw it out along with all the shit you keep in there.” She spoiled him the surprise.

“Please don’t touch my crap!” He requested, but still poured some of the fresh milk into his bowl.

“You better wash that bowl AND spoon once you are done.” She required.

“Did we go through the rules?” He asked her as he sat on the couch next to her. “Rule number one ... don’t tell me what to do.” He shook his finger at her, “and two, no rules.”

“You are contradicting rule number two by having rule number one and by having rule number two for that matter.”

Owen had to think about that for a second, repeating each word in his head hoping he would understand what she had said, “no one asked you!” He started to eat his Lucky Charms and turned the tv on.

“Don’t you have a job?” She was curious to figure out how he could afford to get up at two in the afternoon and sat in the living room to watch cartoons.

“I’m off on Mondays.” He shared, nibbling on his cereal before bringing his attention to the television. He almost robotically leaned over and let his hand blindly feel around under the couch for something. The redhead next to him bringing her sight up from her laptop to watch him, “Did you see a baseball and a glove under here?” He liked putting the baseball glove on and play around with the ball while watching television.

“Yeah, I sold them for ten bucks.” She shrugged.

“WHAT!?”

“Yep, you are drinking them right now, you are welcome.” Claire explained how she had used that money for the groceries.

“Who said you could sell my shit? That’s a signed baseball glove! It’s worth more than a couple hundreds!!” Owen was annoyed, “Jeez, what the fuck!”

The redhead laughed, “who keeps something so valuable under the couch?” She rolled her eyes, “and next to some tramp’s dirty thong!”

“That’s my place for it, leave me alone!” He had no argument about that, it was a terrible place to keep them, “and I don’t have no thongs around here! Just stop getting rid of my stuff, okay!?”

Claire set her laptop on the coffee table across from her and went looking for the box she had kept, once back she dropped it on the cushion next to him.

Owen jumped lightly and turned to look down at it. His eyes immediately caught the women underwear in it and slowly looked up, offering a guilty grin after his eyes met hers. “Yeah...you can get rid of those.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to my editor-in-chief SarynotSary for being amazing and on point and so willing to help me proof-read and stuff <3

“GRADY!!!!!” A very furious redhead screamed from the bathroom. “What the fuck?” It wasn’t until she had opened her soap container, ready to take a shower that morning that she found her brand new soap with a couple of his little hairs in it. She used her nails to pull one off and wrinkled her nose before releasing a disgusted grunt. 

“Shhh... you are going to wake up the neighbors.” He asked her to keep the yelling down while standing under the doorframe. 

“What’s this?” She showed him the small dark hair on the inside of her nail.

“That’s… a hair?” He casually shrugged. 

“And WHOSE hair is this?” She inched closer, her eyes were furious. 

“Yours, who else’s...” Owen chuckled nervously. 

“Do I look like a brunette to you?” The redhead narrowed her eyes. “Does this look like a hair that _I_ left behind?” 

A shit eating grin appeared on his face. “I don’t know, does the carpet match the drapes?” He looked down at her, unable to keep himself from licking his lips. 

“Wha—you asshole!” Claire started to hit him with all she’d got. Owen covered his face with his arms, unable to stop laughing. “Don’t laugh, you idiot!” She pushed him away from her. 

“I’m sorry~” He tried to contain himself from laughing. “But I just don’t see what’s wrong with it! It’s soap! Like, the germs and stuff get automatically clean on it. It’s safe!” 

“Are you serious?” The redhead shook her head. “That’s not how it works...” She chuckled incredulously, “And don’t think I’ll believe for ONE second that you actually think that!” She told an amused Owen. “God, I hate you!” She threw the soap bar at him, aiming at his head, hoping it would knock him out, but he was able to catch it mid air. 

“I’ll go wash the dishes, would that calm you down?” He offered with a cheeky grin, his hands in the air, still holding the soap bar. 

Claire shook her head, and after releasing a sigh, she nodded. 

“DEARING!!!” Owen called out from the shower. He had stepped in there right after her that morning. The man had forgotten to double check if there was any shampoo or soap in there before turning the faucet on and let it soak him; he had already become accustomed to always finding her stuff in the shower, so he just didn’t bother to check anymore. 

“I’m late for work, see you tonight!” Claire called out from the other side of the door. “Don’t forget to wash the dishes in the sink!” She sighed, already knowing she’d come home and find them still sitting there. 

“No!! Come here!” Owen had turned the water off so he could be able to hear the peculiar sound of her high heels clicking against the floor, thus getting an idea of her whereabouts on the other side of the door. “I need soap! And shampoo!” He begged. 

Claire was at the kitchen counter writing him a reminder to do the dishes. She opened the cupboard and taped it to his Lucky Charms. The redhead had tried leaving him notes almost everywhere but he always had an excuse, saying he had missed them and it was her fault for leaving the post-its in weird places. Like, what on earth would he be doing playing video games at ten am? (Which he totally did and had just decided to ignore the PS message she had sent him). Or how the post-it she left on the counter was too small for him to even notice it there. 

“Get your own, pal!” She finally called out after closing her marker and making sure she had gathered everything she needed for work. 

“What happened to sharing?” He sighed.

“Why don’t you ask Lucky the Leprechaun!?” She rolled her eyes, one of these days she was going to make him believe she ate all of his stupid cereal see how he liked it. “I’m leaving, bye!” She grabbed her purse and her laptop and headed out. 

For the past month, Claire had been using a new bar of soap every morning after finding hers with Owen’s hairs everywhere; the thought of them being pubic ones made her gag and she had to immediately throw a practically new soap bar away. He seemed to be a fan of her shampoo as well — that one was going down faster than usual. 

That morning, the redhead had decided to put a stop to that. She had to use a new soap and open a new bottle of shampoo and hair conditioner, and so she had brought them back to her room with her. 

“Claire Bear?” Owen called out after hearing the door being shut. “I’m coming out naked, so you better be gone!” He shouted. The man pulled the glass door opened and slowly inched towards the bathroom door, he opened it slightly and peeked his head out, “Claire Bear?” He called out again. 

It seemed she had really left for work. Owen still felt the need to cover his dick with both his hands and slowly tip toed his way to her bedroom. He was leaving small puddles of water behind him but he figured they would dry on their own at some point. 

He cautiously looked around the many beauty products she had on top of her chest of drawers. “What do you need all this crap for?” He muttered to himself, he knew she had a lot of this stuff on the sink counter so this was officially an exaggeration. His hazel eyes scanned through the many products but couldn’t find any soap bar or shampoo bottle. 

Owen sighed and let his eyes fall on the line of drawers in front of him. He looked around almost as if to make sure no one was there to judge him for what he was about to do. He bit on his lower lip and slowly pulled the top drawer out. He found some of Claire’s clothes there. He carefully started to go through them but couldn’t find anything. 

He closed that drawer and opened the one right under that. He grinned to himself and cleared his throat after finding out that that was the one containing her underwear. He grabbed a pair of black lace panties she had there and let it hang from his fingers. He admired it for a second before folding it and putting it back down. Owen then went back to his original task and started rummaging around, “Ha!” He called in victory after feeling something hard between her panties and her bras. He pulled both the shampoo bottle and the soap container out before closing the drawer and running back to the bathroom to finish with his shower. 

 

* * *

 

“Hey roomie!” Owen grinned as he leaned against the couch, looking over the back rest once he heard the door being opened. “There’s some Chinese in the fridge.” He filled Claire in before he went back to his video game. 

“Thanks.” She smiled back. She had to admit, it was very kind of him to have thought about her when he had ordered his dinner. He was usually back home a couple of hours before her; unless he had gone for drinks with his friends after his shift. Days were long for Claire and she usually didn’t have the energy to remind herself to get some takeout on her way back home, but luckily, Owen never failed her on that front, her portion of food always waiting for her in the fridge. 

Claire took her heels off and set them by the door for now, as well as taking her jacket off and resting it on the back of the couch. She walked barefoot toward the kitchen and reached out for a plate in the cupboard. The smile he had been able to bring on her face quickly vanished the moment she saw her note still taped to the top of his Lucky Charms box. She took a bowl out and slowly turned to check the sink. 

“You didn’t get do dishes.” She pursed her lips, they weren’t even that many. It was just the last three bowls and spoons he had used for his breakfast. 

“Oops...I forgot!” He casually offered, his hazel eyes glued to the tv screen while his fingers quickly pressed the many buttons on the Play Station 3 controller he was holding. 

“I left you a note on your precious Lucky Charms!” She tried not to sound too pissed, she was already one dirty spoon away from turning into his mom and turn his video game off. 

“I had breakfast out today.” 

Claire sighed and, opening the fridge, she reached for the Chinese he had gotten for her. She served some in her bowl and put the rest back into the fridge. She heated it a little bit in the microwave and went looking for a fork. 

“I got your favorite.” He smiled.

The redhead shook her head and sighed before she sat beside him and ate while he played. “Your charm does not overshadow your laziness.” She smiled and nudged him playfully. 

“Are you sure?” He laughed, watching her bend her legs up over the couch. He reached out for her jacket and gently rested it over her feet. By now, he already knew her feet grew cold really fast.

She fixed her green eyes on his hazel ones and let them flirt with his for a second. “ugh...I hate you.” She giggled before she looked down and started eating. 

Owen chuckled, “I’ll get to them at some point, I promise.” He nodded, his eyes still soft on her while watching her eat.

“So what are you playing?” Claire asked, slowly nibbling on a piece of chicken, all those damn video games looked the same to her. 

“Assassin’s Creed~” He filled her in before he finally resumed his game. “The same one I was telling you about the other day, remember?” Owen had already explained to her the game’s mission the last time she had sat with him and watched him play. 

“No?” She snorted, “but it’s okay. You don’t have to tell me again.” She assured him. 

Owen nodded and kept playing for a few seconds until he was able to save his progress. “Do you want to try?” He handed her the controller. 

Claire set her bowl on the coffee table in front of their couch and took the controller from him. He reached out and un-paused the game for her. “Okay you have to—“ He sighed in frustration. “What happened?” She kept pressing buttons. “No it’s okay, you got killed.” He laughed. “Aw, so fast?” Claire handed him the controller back, a little disappointed. “Yep. I’m sure this is a new record!” He teased her. 

The redhead rolled her eyes and reached out for her bowl so she could keep eating. 

 

* * *

 

“Did I die and went to hell?” Owen rubbed the back of his head, still sleepy as he walked into the living room. Claire was in there waiting for him next to a large whiteboard. “What the fuck is that?” He pointed out, the white board was divided in two columns; the red one and the green one and had a long list of chores down on each side. 

“This is our official chores board.” The redhead smiled. “Would you like to sit down? So I can explain you how it works.” She offered. 

That morning, Claire had woken up to find those damn dishes still piled in the sink as well as the garbage can completely full, along with many other things that were his responsibility, yet to be taken care of. She was done leaving him notes and text messages and now she was making sure he was not going to miss a note since he would stumble upon that big whiteboard every time he entered the living room. 

Claire decided to first start explaining the things _she_ was responsible for, as to avoid him feeling too attacked. “You are red, I’m green!” She started explaining while showing him both markers. Just in case he ‘forgot’ which color was whom, she had taken the liberty to write his name in red on one side of the board and hers in green on the other side. 

“See how grocery shopping is on my list?” She pointed out under her name, the chore written in green. “Let’s say I’ve been postponing it and one day you wake up and there’s no milk. So you grab your red marker and under the chore you leave me a reminder!” She opened the red marker: “milk”. She said as she wrote it down. “And once I get the milk I come and cross it out with my color, that way you know it’s done.” She smiled. “Questions?” 

“Yes, can I be green? I don’t like red.” He asked dryly but was intentionally messing with her since that meant she would have to repeat the whole thing. 

“No.” 

“No questions then.” He rolled his eyes. “Stupid board.” He walked over so he could read all the things he had yet to do while Claire had checked all of hers so far. He opened the marker and started adding condescending notes to the list of chores on his side; like calling her his mom or his captain among other things.

“Okay, I’m late for work. But I got you something.” She smiled, reaching over for a small box she had on the coffee table. 

“Really!? I love presents!” Owen smiled happily. 

“Yep, a chores board introduction gift.” She smiled and handed him the little box. 

Owen ripped the wrapping paper off like a five year old on his birthday and blinked a couple of times after taking in his present. “So this is prison~” He complained.

“You don’t like it?” The redhead tried not to laugh. 

“I love it! Yay! My own soap bar! You are the best roommate ever!” He cheered sarcastically. He took the soap out of the box and noticed how it was white from one side and brown on the other. 

“Butt...face” He read each side. “I don’t get it...” 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big shout out to my editor-in-chief SarynotSary who also suggested this prompt!
> 
> For better experience, I recommend you guys click on the hyperlink you’ll find at some point down in the chapter and listen to the song featured in it while reading further.

“Why didn’t you wake me up!?” Owen whined as he came rushing out of his bedroom and into the bathroom. It was ten minutes to three in the afternoon. 

“Because I’m not a mind reader or your mother...” Claire called out from the couch where she was watching a documentary on white rhinos. 

“No! But it’s a favor I asked you to do. And this time it’s on that stupid board. You are a mean friend!” Owen called out from the shower. He had exactly ten minutes to shower before the hot water stopped running. 

Claire sighed and, standing up from the couch, she walked to their board and found his little note, right under the space they had for special requests: he had written down in red to please wake him up in time to be able to take a shower. 

“Oops.” She wrote down with her green marker, before her eyes scanned the board and admired how her system was working well. He had even tuned down the condescending notes to a minimum. 

She really felt bad for not waking him up. Claire was an early bird and always showered way before the stupid water heater shut off on them, but there were times when she just wanted to take a hot shower after work or late at the weekends after doing some chores. 

She had already discussed this subject with her roommate. She was positive the water heater simply stopped running after a certain time because it was old and rusty and needed some maintenance. She wanted to contact their landlord and inform him of this malfunction so he could deal with it, but every time she brought Mr. Jenkins up, Owen immediately shut her down and told her not to bother; he was a grumpy old fart. 

Claire didn’t listen this time around, six weeks living there were enough for her to be fed up with this issue and so she called the guy. No old man intimidated her, she knew how to be firm, plus, they were paying him. She was positive they were the most unproblematic tenants this man could ever wish for. The redhead had demanded he came over to take a look at the heater that afternoon, emphasizing the fact that it was aggravating to be clocking their shower time because of that huge inconvenience.

She was done with her call by the time Owen made it out of the bathroom. He was clad in a pair of clean pants and a tank top, and was using his towel to finish drying his hair. “So Mr. Jenkins will be here within an hour.” 

“But why!?” He complained. “I don’t know, Claire, I’m not in the mood to deal with some old jerk scolding me, so he is all yours!” Owen walked to the kitchen and hung his towel on the rope ladder Claire had made him install so they could let their towels dry by the window. “I’ll be in my room!” 

She always smiled when watching him do this kind of things, it made her feel like the proud owner of a puppy who had successfully learned a new trick. “No. you are staying out here with me. Fine, I’ll deal with him...but you live here as well and you are the one who will benefit the most from this!” 

Owen rolled his eyes, he didn’t have time to complain after being interrupted by the loud knock on the door. “Now... behave! Or I’ll pull your ears.” Claire murmured, earning a flirty smirk from him before he licked his lips. 

“Don’t—!“ The redhead demanded unable to keep herself from blushing and smiling back. He was eight, and even if completely immature in many ways, she secretly found herself thinking his charm overshadowed all that. 

Owen laughed, following her to the door. “Pull my finger~” He asked the middle-aged landlord standing there.

“So, I’m leaning towards advising to have the whole heater replaced.” Claire went into business mode immediately, not leaving the elder man a second to follow Owen’s gag. She closed the door behind him and led him to the bathroom. 

“And the shower head too!” Owen called from behind. Claire frowned not sure if she followed on that request, the shower head was perfectly fine that morning when she had showered. 

She pulled the shower glass door open to find the head falling off, “Yeah it seems the head also needs replacement.” Claire mumbled, watching the landlord reach out for it and try to figure out how it had fallen off. “We will be out there if you need us.” She smiled, and pulling at Owen’s shirt, she brought him out of the bathroom with her. 

“So how did you break it?” She murmured. She didn’t find this amusing. She was someone who was very rightful and honest and never in a million years would her principles let her have that poor old man replace from his pocket something that was on them. 

“But I didn’t! I was taking a shower... and I was singing and then out of nowhere it almost broke my skull open!” 

“You hung your fat ass from it, didn’t you? Pretending it was a microphone...” Claire crossed her arms against her chest. 

“Um...yeah...that’s exactly how it happened.” He nodded his head, unable to make eye contact with her. This was definitely less embarrassing than the truth. He let his eyes wander around while rubbing the back of his neck. 

“You are replacing the shower head, Owen!” She still kept her voice down, even if she was not going to let that man pay for this she still didn’t want him to find out about their business.

“Ugh... why can’t the old fart do it?” He complained. 

“Shh.. don’t call him that!” She scolded him. “He’s been nothing but nice! He almost even let you fart in his face.” She brought up his childish joke attempt from earlier. 

Claire inched towards their board and, grabbing her green marker, she got ready to write down the replacement Owen had to get.

“No...no...don’t put it on the board! He begged trotting over and hugging her from behind, he pulled her up and turned around with her in his arms. 

“Owen!” She chuckled, rushing to turn back to the board, but his arms were strong around her waist. “Let me go...” She giggled, making it evident she really didn’t want him to. 

“If it’s on the board it’s official and I’m not buying that thing.” He shook his head. Owen adjusted his arms and, pulling her further up, he tossed her over his shoulder and took her to her bedroom. Claire wiggled her feet and laughed demanding for him to put her down. 

Mr. Jenkins had come out of the bathroom to witness the roommates wrestling and watched Owen carry her away. The elder man chuckled, shaking his head, and used the spanner tool he had in his hand to scratch his back. 

Owen had just dropped Claire on her bed when the old guy knocked at the door softly, “I’m sorry to interrupt you two love birds—“

“We are not love birds.” Both Claire and Owen tried to clarify.

“I won’t be able to replace the shower head… I mean, I can but I would have to bring your maintenance quote up a little bit, since this was clearly broken by one of you.” He explained. 

“That’s fine. We will take care of that.” Claire agreed. She knew these people always overcharged for something she could do herself. “What about the water heater?” She was now sitting on her bed, fixing her hair with her fingers. 

“I’m getting to it right now.” He offered this grin that made Owen shiver for some reason. Claire nodded and the man left to go check on that old tin of a water heater. 

“Did you see that?” Owen wrinkled his nose, a little disgusted. Claire shook her head. “C’mon!! The way he grinned like... I don’t know, the way maniacs grin.” 

Claire rolled her eyes, “you really need to cut him some slack. For starters, he is nothing like you said he would be. You should be fined for breaking that shower. If he’d been an ogre, like you say, he would have made a whole scene about it.” She then smiled, flirting and pinching Owen’s cheek. “Besides... not everyone is lucky enough to have a charming smirk like yours.” 

Owen smiled to himself, watching Claire stand up from her bed and leave the room. “Okay so I was wrong about him being mean.. but that’s just the word on the street; that he is rude!” He walked out behind her. “But I’m not wrong about him having a maniac smile!” 

“Shhhhh... Owen~” Claire motioned towards the bathroom with her head before she finally wrote down on their board that he was responsible for getting a new shower head. 

“Hey... I need one of you to lend me a hand?” Mr. Jenkins peeked his head out of the bathroom. 

“Yeah. I’m going.” Claire volunteered but Owen stopped her in her tracks with his arm. 

“No. I’ll go.” He narrowed his eyes almost warning the landlord that he was onto him. 

The elder man handed Owen his tool and advised for him to go into the shower, work on adjusting the heater while he went to the kitchen and fiddled with the electric board. 

Owen was on his toes, in the shower, trying to use the spanner around the now broken shower head when he was met by Mr. Jenkins. The landlord stepped into the shower and stood behind Owen, who widened his eyes, feeling him so close and tight against him. “If we squeeze in, I’m sure we’ll both fit in here perfectly...big boy.” The man wiggled his eyebrows.

“CLAIRE!!?” Owen called out, immediately pulled away and cornering his body against the shower wall.

Claire was rolling her eyes while incredulously shaking her head at the oh so traumatizing experience Owen was sharing with her, “I tell you! He is here to steal my virtue!” Owen gulped.

The redhead tilted her head, “your ‘virtue‘?” She raised an eyebrow.

“Yes... my virtue.” He echoed between his teeth. “Please ask him to leave? I’ll fix the water heater myself!”

“No, Owen.” She shook her head, “you have been saying that for three weeks now! He is staying...“ She insisted. “So go hide your momma’s jewels or whatever the hell it is you think he is here to take.” She smiled playfully.

“I would have to tape a cushion around my ass to hide what I don’t want him to take!” 

Claire laughed, “what? You are always so dramatic!” She shook her head. Her green eyes followed him while he fetched some duct tape in one of the kitchen drawers and once back in the living room, he pinned one of the cushions against his ass and started to roll the tape around it over his shirt. 

 

* * *

 

About forty-five minutes later, Mr. Jerkins came back with the old water heater in his hands. “Is it okay if I come back tomorrow morning to install a new one?” He offered. After working on it for quite some time and making a few tests, he had agreed with Claire to have it replaced. “I would need a new shower head to be installed, though.” He reminded them. 

Claire nodded while Owen shook his head. “No.. why are you inviting that guy back into our sacred abode?” He cried against her shoulder. The two of them had been watching some of Owen’s cartoons, hoping they would calm him down while they waited for the landlord to finish his work.

“Because we need hot water!” She mumbled back. “Some of us can’t live without showering at least once a day.” She knew Owen sometimes skipped showering. “Yes, Mr. Jenkins. Thank you.” Claire finally addressed him. 

The old man eyed how Owen clung to the woman’s arm. “So I’ll be waiting for you guys in there.” He offered that creepy grin again. 

Owen nudged Claire so she could see the maniac smirk with her own eyes, but the redhead was too distracted watching the man walk himself into Owen’s room. 

Ten minutes went by, making Mr. Jenkins come back to the living room to see what was taking the roommates so long. He found them on the couch, still watching those cartoons. Claire had her legs bent over to the side, her arms crossed on Owen’s shoulder and her chin resting on them. 

“Are you coming, love birds~” He sang. 

“We are not love—woah where did your pants go!?” Owen said this while giving Claire a look. That ‘I told you so’ look he got to use very few times on her, but this time it was a big one. 

The redhead gulped and scratched her head. 

“I picked on your intentions from the moment I stepped into the apartment. Being a landlord might be my daytime job, but I moonlight as an initiator.” He smiled, caressing his belly. He had taken his shirt off too. “But now I can finally play with y’all sexy people.” 

The image her green eyes were taking in, of this fat bald guy only in white boxers and socks covering half his hairy legs, was making Claire gag. The look of realization on her face made Owen smile. “Say I was right....” The man—who still had a cushion pinned against his ass—demanded. 

“Please get him out of here...” She looked away, turning her back to the old man. “God, I need to go burn my corneas.” She murmured. 

“Nah...you said you’d deal with him so~” Owen grinned. Both hazel and green eyes going wide open at the sound of some folkloric [music](https://youtu.be/IGMabBGydC0) filling the apartment. 

“He’s taking both our virtues, isn’t he?” Claire dreaded. The man was soon dancing in front of them. 

“Woah—“ Owen jumped onto the couch once Mr. Jenkins tried giving him a lap dance. 

“This is the d'oiseaux d'amour...” The old man started flapping his arms while circling the couch. 

It was awkward and it had to stop. Claire was too shocked and didn’t want to touch the old guy, plus there was no way she’d admit she was wrong about this. Owen was just taking her word on it — she had to figure this one on her own. So the two stubborn eight-year-old adults were stuck in this nightmare.

“All it takes is a kiss.” He pursed his lips and made kissy sounds after leaning his head forward between the two of them from behind the couch. 

“Don’t touch me!” Claire cried and shifted away, feeling one of his hands on the back of her head; his other one was on the back of Owen’s. 

“I’ve initiated this ritual many times before! It’s all good!” He explained. “You kiss and then we celebrate by joining your bodies in the act of love making.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, anticipating that part; “while I witness the act and then join.”

“Yeah...about that last part? I’m saving myself for marriage.” Owen turned him down.

Claire snorted, but after having a glance at this guy’s face and how dead serious he was about his ritual, she had to nod. “Me too! No fun for me until my wedding night.” She snapped her fingers in disappointment. 

“Under the d'oiseaux d'amour that’s overruled.” The old man nodded, his hands bringing them closer.

“Even if we are not French or high on peyote like you are?” Owen wondered. 

“Please...” Claire begged whimpering. “I’ll do the dishes for a month!” She pleaded Owen to just kick this guy out. 

“All it takes is for you to admit I was right.” He shook his head.

“Never.” She fumed. 

“I guess we are kissing then.” He shrugged. 

“I guess we are.” Claire frowned watching Owen leaning closer. He deliberately poked his entire tongue out and closed his eyes. She closed hers too and turned her head to the side. It was when she felt the wet tip of his tongue brushing her wrinkled nose, that she pulled back. 

“OKAY FINE! I was wrong!” She cried. “Now please get him out and report him to the police or something.” Claire pulled back and stood up from the couch. 

That’s all it took for Owen to do as she was requesting and, in two ticks, he got rid of the weirdo. Claire had gone back to Owen’s room to get his pants, shirt, and shoes. She handed them to him on his way out and both of them pushed the door closed behind him. 

“Ugh. I can’t even look at you right now.” Claire said still disgusted. 

“I need a shower.” He shivered.

“He’s ruined having sex with you.” Claire teased Owen. 

“He’s ruined having sex, period.” He made a face. 

Claire nodded, still feeling nauseated.

The two of them linked eyes for a second and exchanged a light smile. 

“Maybe not forever, though.” The redhead pursed her lips. 

“Yeah...I’ll definitely want to have it at some point.” He smirked.

Claire nibbled on her lips and kept her eyes on his, “Do you want to go get head? I mean, go buy a SHOWER head and a new water heater.” She blushed. 

“Yeah, lets go~” He offered a flirty smirk before reaching for both their jackets and, placing his hand on the small of her back, he led her out of their apartment. 

After a couple of seconds, Claire opened the door to their apartment and tossed that cushion inside before closing the door again.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to my editor in chief SarynotSary

On Saturday morning, Claire was sitting on her usual stool at the kitchen counter, enjoying of a bowl of fruit while working on her laptop. She was wearing a pair of purple flannel pajamas, her red hair was still a little messy, her green eyes noticing the time on her screen: it was eight in the morning. 

She quietly slid down and inched towards the coffee machine, which had just announced her hot beverage was ready. She fetched her mug in the cupboard and, while taking it out, she also took Owen’s Lucky Charms and hid them in the drawer under the kitchen sink. 

She knew that, at any second now, his conquest from the previous night would come out of his room, looking for something to eat or drink. After two months of being roommates with him and at least a dozen girls, Claire had already learned that they liked eating his stupid cereal, which he didn’t approve of. 

Sure, Claire should care less about them eating his cereal, but for some reason she did mind, quite a lot actually. She wouldn’t be able to tell why, but her getting protective and very possessive over his Lucky Charms was a thing. 

Claire was pouring herself some coffee when, just like she had calculated, a blonde walked out of Owen’s bedroom. She was quiet, sipping on her coffee while she watched his last hook-up walk into the kitchen wearing his shirt. “Can I help you?” The redhead tilted her head, eying the blonde rummaging around the cupboards. 

“No. I’m just looking for a glass to get some water.” The blonde used her long nails to scratch her arm. 

Claire nodded and stayed in her position against the sink, sipping on her coffee. She reached for the one glass still in the sink and filled it up, before she handed it to the other woman. 

“Thanks.” The blonde smiled softly and stared to gulp the water down. 

“No biggie, that’s the glass all of you drink from, so.” She shrugged. Owen always failed to rinse and wash that one glass, so Claire took the liberty to reuse it every morning by having all his girls drink from the dirty glass. 

Not even his sleepovers got him out of bed at a decent time and so Claire always watched them go back to his room and come back out wearing their previous night’s outfit and leaving on their own. Same was for this one girl, who for some reason irked her a little; she might not be willing to admit it but for some odd reason ... each new girl annoyed her a little more than the previous one.

“Nice meeting you, please make sure you gathered all your belongings. That includes your dirty thong and bra.” Claire called out watching her leave. 

At this point she didn’t care, Owen never brought the same girl back at all, so it wasn’t like he would care or she would see her again. 

 

* * *

 

After finishing her chores and doing their weekly grocery shopping, Claire made it back to the apartment. She had gotten some take out for lunch as well. There was a local burrito stand around their building where they often got food from. He liked the steak ones and she liked the chicken, but they always ended up sharing and eating half of each. 

Once in the kitchen, Claire put their groceries away and headed to their board to cross the chore from her list. There were a few things Owen had requested for her to get, and she wanted to scratch them off as well. 

She smiled at the little flower bouquet he had drawn for her next to the last favor he had asked, thanking her for saving his life on it, presenting her with drawn flowers for her troubles. She shook her head and, nibbling on her lower lip, she took her green marker. “Thank you for the flowers, they are adorable.” She wrote next to it. 

Claire worked on the rest of the updates and then headed back to the kitchen so she could make her lunch. She took two plates out and cut both burritos in half. She saved his share in the microwave to keep it from getting cold fast. She figured he should be up soon since it was already noon. 

Claire took her plate and a ginger ale from the fridge, and decided to enjoy her lunch on the couch while catching up on some work. It was impossible to work around Owen: he would constantly ask her to close her laptop and play with him or watch some of his stupid movies with him. Not that she complained, she enjoyed his company. 

The redhead brought the burrito over to her mouth to take a bite, but got distracted once she heard the bathroom door being opened, “I left you some lunch in the microwave.” She called out, now that Owen was out of the shower. 

Green eyes looked over and she could feel her jaw drop to the floor at the image her eyes were taking in. Claire didn’t even notice the moment she released a high pitched cry. She gulped, feeling her heartbeat increase. 

Owen had left the entire building without hot water, judging by the steam floating around those naked pectorals. Claire’s angle from the couch to the bathroom didn’t help either, since she couldn’t help noticing how much his groin was bulging under the towel he had wrapped around his waist. 

“Thanks.” He smiled, using a second towel to dry his hair. “You are dripping.” He smirked.

“No shit...” She muttered, letting her eyes slowly move up and down his chest. Claire could feel her cheeks growing hot, making it her cue to force herself and look away. 

“Do you mind? I’m trying to eat here.” She cleared her throat before realizing he meant the sauce stain on her top. 

“No. Not really...” He laughed. He wasn’t blind. He had noticed she had totally checked him out. “Wanna wait for me? I’ll get dressed in a tick and join you.” He offered, watching her clean herself with a napkin. 

“Yeah~” 

“Unless you’d rather we eat first and then I change.” He teased, just to feel one of the cushions flying his way. He caught it mid-air and, shaking his head, he kept walking to his room. “I’ll be right out.” 

Owen was back on the couch next to her, wearing a pair of gray pants and a tank top. He fetched his DualShock controllers and turned on the PS3. “So…I know you don’t like my games, but I found one you might like.” He explained while browsing the Play Store. 

Claire nibbled on her burrito while he purchased this game called Little Big Planet. The logo was a brown little fella and the game looked kinda cute. She looked down just to notice he had been too lazy to wear underwear: she blushed and casually pulled out a cushion and set it on his lap. 

Owen looked down and laughed, “I thought you’d like that.” 

“You are an asshole.” She couldn’t help smile. “So tell me about the game?” She kept eating while Owen filled her in. 

It was technically a puzzle game. “We both have a Sackboy and we have to go about solving puzzles and collecting stickers that will later on help you unlock screens or dress your player.” It was that simple. “Of course like any game, you collect points by getting these bubbles you’ll see around. 

Once the game had successfully downloaded, Owen loaded the first screen. Claire could make the Sackboy walk on her own, that was no rocket science, but she also kept pressing all the buttons, making her sack pocket pop up. “You close that with the red circle...” Owen pointed out. 

Claire had to look down at her controller in order to do so, and then kept walking. “Do we have to walk around naked?” 

Owen shook his head, and, reaching over, he pressed the circle button on her controller: her player pulled out a bubble tied to a string, which was called the sack pocket. He taught her how to navigate through it and let her choose some of the default wigs and outfits that came with the game. 

“Oh my god, this is so cute!” She went with making her player a girl and dressed her up with the dresses and wigs she had so far. 

“Okay, so you see that block over there?” He pointed at the screen. “You press R1 and pull with your stick.” He showed her where the R1 button was on the front of the controller and watched her pull the square block. 

“Now what?” She smiled, loving how easy this game actually was. Unlike those violent ones he usually played. 

“With the blue X we jump on it and onto that roof!” He smiled, watching her get excited over it.

On top of that roof, they found at least a dozen stickers, which he let her run to get. The game had cute sounds of the sack boys being all happy with the goodies they were collecting, which made Claire giggle. 

It took the redhead half an hour to get used to the controller, and she was now able to jump and hold onto swings in the air while moving over holes, and could also jump on the bad guys who wanted to kill her. 

Owen made his Sackboy hold hers from behind and started dragging her, just to mess with her. He had this peculiar fascination with the way she screamed at that. 

“Let me go!!!” She squealed, making Owen turn his sackboy’s expression into a sad one. She giggled and made her Sackboy hug his before she made a kiss noise. “There. Is he a happy Sackboy now?” She nudged him, watching Owen change his character’s expression to a big grin. 

“You are a dork.” She rolled her eyes before they kept going. 

They played the entire The Gardens world and even if Claire was loving the game, a couple of hours sitting on that couch were wearing on her. “I have to shower and un-numb my ass, so go ahead and play whatever you like.” She smiled while giving him the controller back. 

“Can we continue another day?” Owen pouted. This wasn’t his type of game, but she was definitely his type of player. 

Claire nodded and nibbled on her lip. “We are finishing that thing.” She guaranteed. 

“Hey~” Owen called out while he saved their progress and switched to his usual game. “Maybe after your shower, we can watch a movie? Or do you have to work?” 

The redhead shook her head. “Only if you pick something that’s not one of those disgusting buddy comedies.” She suggested before walking away.

 

* * *

 

The sound of bullets and combat noises were blasting in the apartment while Owen waited for Claire to be done with her shower. He knew she took at least an hour when not in a hurry, so he was killing some time playing one of his favorite games. “So I think you should pick the movie, but not Disney Princess or talking forest animals crap.” He suggested, not like that was the kind of movie Claire was into. 

Owen’s hazel eyes were immediately lost in the way those freckles sparkled against Claire’s fair skin. She was definitely making him pay for what he had done earlier that afternoon, thinking she was not home and walking out of the bathroom with only a towel on. 

He had to stop playing while he allowed himself to watch her mirror his own behavior and dry her long red hair with a second towel. The one she had wrapped around her frame was down to her mid thigh. “I’ll think of something.” She smiled over. 

Owen was glad he still had that one cushion over his lap, because right now it was hiding the reaction she had provoked in him. “Mmhmm...” He nodded, shifting a little on the spot before he slid his hand under the cushion and adjusted the erection in his pants. 

“You just exploded.” Claire nibbled on the inside of her lip. 

“Not....yet...but I’m close.” He cleared his throat.

“I meant in the game.” She blushed. Owen was so lost in his thoughts that he had missed the explosion sound of a grenade ending his life in the game. 

He put the controller down and didn’t let his eyes shift away from her. He stood up, that huge boner pointing out: he had to quickly grab the cushion back. 

Owen walked behind her. God... he wanted to just grab her and lock her up in her bedroom before tearing that towel off her body, counting each of her freckles and tasting them. 

Claire felt his presence behind her and smiled to herself. “Can I assist you with anything?” She teased with a mischievous smirk he couldn’t see from behind her. His body just an inch away from hers.

“Um...no—no. I have what I need, thanks.”  He took a step to the side and locked himself in his room. 

He immediately pulled his hard cock out of his pants, thanking whatever lord there was out there that he had decided to mess with her and not wear any briefs after his shower. Owen didn’t lose a minute before he took hold of his thick shaft: he could feel how it throbbed around his fingers and how filled it was. 

He had had sex the night before but damn, that hot redhead of a roommate was making him feel like a teenager who was seeing some heavy PG-13 content for the first time and didn’t know what to do with himself. 

Owen tilted his head back and closed his eyes while he groaned, feeling his own fingers going up and down his cock, wishing they were Claire’s tight pussy instead. 

“God, woman...” He felt his throat vibrate as he went faster, hearing the sound his hand made against the sensible flesh of his dick. 

He totally had this one coming — literally —, but he never thought she’d be able to wake him up like this. But the thought of the reaction her body might have had earlier, was what made him grow larger than ever within the grip of his fingers. 

He moaned, going harder and feeling so desperate that he had to push his pants down all the way to his knees. She probably had a tight pussy, didn’t she? So he tightened his hold around his cock, which kept throbbing. 

She was lucky he had been able to stop himself from making her feel how large and thick he was for her by rubbing his erection down the crack of her ass, extending the invitation to help him with the little situation that had arisen due to her tease. 

“Owen?! Are you coming?” She called out from outside about fifteen minutes later. 

“Ugh, I’m so close, Babydoll…” He moaned, feeling how he was almost there. He was going fast; he looked down and could see his thick sensitive tip tensing up, his juices getting ready to burst out of it. 

“Fuck...” He started breathing harder, feeling himself build up while he kept jerking off. He moaned deep in his throat and thrusted faster up and down. 

“God.....” He growled, feeling the white substance erupt from his tip. He bumped it up a couple of times until all of it was out and, reaching for a tissue, he cleaned himself up. 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to my editor in Chief

“Owen....c’mon!!” Claire started knocking at the bathroom door, her desperation audible against the wood. She rolled her eyes when he started singing loud for her to hear, almost challenging her. 

He was taking a shower, something that usually took him ten minutes. This time around it was taking him twice longer. She knew it was just to mess with her and it aggravated her; no one enjoyed holding it when you really needed to pee. 

“I thought it was ‘too girly’ to take more than ten minutes in there!” She called out against the door. “Unless you are jerking off...again.” She laughed. It had been about a week since then, and she brought it up every time she could. 

Owen just started to sing louder, he was now going to stay there until she peed herself for bringing that up. The man froze under the shower after hearing Claire finally breaking into the bathroom. 

He licked his lips and cleared his throat. “I’m flattered...but I’m not ready to share the shower.” He teased her. 

Claire brought the toilet seat down — like any typical male, he never did that himself. 

“Woahhh... What are you doing!?” He wondered. His hair sticking up, covered in shampoo, while he had his arms and chest covered in soap. “Dearing?” He insisted after not getting a response. 

The sound of Claire peeing filled the bathroom which for some reason had Owen grossed out. “Oh, come on!! Ewwwww.” He started to protest in the shower. “Don’t pee with me in here, what the fuck!!” 

Claire laughed. “Why don’t you go back to singing? You won’t be able to hear.” She rolled her eyes. Owen shook his head and covered his eyes, hearing how she was flushing the toilet and closing the lid. 

She then slowly opened the glass door, just enough for her hand to fit in. “What the fuck!? Did you lose your mind!?” Owen screamed at the sight. “Didn’t your mom teach you to wash your hands after going? I’m trying to get clean here!” 

“I know you pee in the shower, so shut up.” Claire started feeling for the faucets, and after turning the cold water all the way on, she closed the hot one, watching Owen’s silhouette run to the other end of the shower through the glass door and scream like a little girl at the feeling of cold water hitting him. Claire washed her hands and left him alone to finish his shower. 

The man came out of the bathroom mumbling to himself. He turned his attention to Claire, who was on the couch, and shook his head before he kept making his way over to his bedroom so he could finish getting dressed. 

Five minutes later, Owen was on the couch with his roommate curled up against him. They each had a DualShock controller and he had a brand new game of his favorite video game loaded. She had finally agreed to play it with him. Now that she was familiar with the controller — and over the phase of randomly pressing buttons — this could really be fun. 

Claire still couldn’t help looking down at her controller when he advised for her to press a combination. “Circle-circle-triangle-circle.” She murmured, while slowly doing that. She looked up to find the character hadn’t done anything but barely throw a kick. “Aw... what happened?” She frowned. 

“You have to do it faster.” Owen showed a lot of patience and Claire appreciated that. 

“Right...” She giggled against his shoulder, feeling her cheeks blush. She nibbled on it, and linking her eyes with his for a second, they exchanged a soft smile and then she tried the combination faster. Owen couldn’t help looking at her while she played, she was too adorable. 

It took her half an hour to do a five minute progress, but he didn’t mind. Owen knew by now that she was a very impressive fast learner and she was soon jumping from one building to another with no problem, as well as shooting the enemy with barely any impact on her character’s health. 

In a matter of an hour, she was fully cuddled up against him, his arm around her shoulders while keeping his controller on her other side. 

He kept instructing her on what to do while they both worked together to finish that first mission. It wasn’t until the screen went blank and the game’s little story continued to play that Claire got excited that they had completed that. They both high-five and he tightened his grip around her shoulder. “You did it!” He kissed the side of her head. 

The redhead nibbled on her lower lip and grew a pink blush on her cheeks. “We did it.” She eagerly nodded. For the past month or so, she had been finding it really hard not to feel attracted to his charm. The fact that he wasn’t like this with any of the women he often brought home, secretly made her feel special in a way. 

However, the constant reminder that he slept around made her suppress the feelings she might have been developing. Not to mention that knowing he had masturbated to the image of her in a towel didn’t help the obvious sexual attraction they had for each other from the day they had met. 

Owen found her staring, her green eyes moved down to his lips. “You know... watching you play this… is like having a cute fluffy bunny hopping around with a rifle, killing anything that crosses her path.” He chuckled. 

“You think I’m cute~” She flirted.

“No...” He laughed. “I said the bunny was cute.” He teased.

Claire shook her head, his finger twirling a strand of her hair while his arm remained around her shoulder. “You think I’m cute...you can’t take it back.” 

Owen chuckled and offered a cheeky smile. “I think you are more than cute, alright.” He murmured, his hazel eyes finding themselves lost in the penetrating nature of her green ones. 

“Yeah?” She bit on her lower lip, tilting her head back, resting it against his arm. 

“You are smokin’ hot, okay?” He offered. 

Claire felt her heart pound fast at the way he admitted that. His eyes looked at her with desire, but that was what made her realize she was trying to persuade him into making a move on her, and she didn’t know if she could be just another one of the bunch. 

“Is that why you can’t help yourself?” She murmured, teasing him about it yet again and intentionally sabotaging the moment. 

“You are never going to let that die, are you?” Owen wasn’t ashamed anymore, after the jokes kept coming so smoothly. “Maybe next time you can help me out.” He licked his lips after Claire shook her head.

“Don’t tease...” She murmured.

“I’m not~” He smirked. 

“Owen...” Claire pulled away. “I think that rotten tv stand is about to crack.” She mumbled after hearing the noise of wood breaking. 

“Nah... we killed those wood whores last week.” He reminded her about the termites before leaning closer, closing the space she had created between them. 

A second crack was heard and that’s when the two of them rushed over. Owen carried the tv up and Claire took the Play Station console just in time before the old wooden stand came crumbling down. 

 

* * *

 

Claire immediately started coughing and sneezing the moment she opened the door to their apartment. The place was a mess, wood dust flying everywhere, and the furniture and floor covered in it. “What the—” She sighed. 

Owen had his back to the door, squatted down in a pair of pants that made his ass look great. Claire looked up and tried concentrate on the surroundings instead of the tempting image of that ass. “What are you doing?” She frowned, walking past him and standing in front of him, hoping that facing him would help her focus on the matter here. 

“I’m building our TV and PS3 a new house.” He grinned. “There’s some pizza in the microwave.” He smiled. It was Monday and he knew she’d come back from work hungry. 

“Is this how you spent your day off?” She chuckled and headed to their board. “Did you clean the fridge?” She wondered while looking at the few things to do he had listed on the board. 

“Yep.” He scratched the back of his head with the pencil he was using to measure the wood he had gotten.

Claire smiled to herself and blushed lightly while going through his list. She was secretly eager to read it, since Owen had taken on the habit of adding little side-notes to every item. _Fridge cleaned and smelling fresh! Btw, you looked beautiful this morning._ He had added to that, a heart-eyed smiley face next to it. 

He moved his eyes up and smiled to himself, Claire had her back to him but he could see her hand resting on her belly, which meant she had read what he had left on the board for her. 

“Thanks.” She murmured. “Did you write this before or after you realized I’d be mad that you didn’t think about cutting all that wood outside and now the apartment is a mess?” She smiled turning around and pursed her lips. 

Owen rested his pencil on his ear and offered her a cheeky smile, “I wrote that the moment I couldn’t take the image of you wearing that outfit out of my head.” 

Claire rolled her eyes and shook her head. She headed to the kitchen, hearing him laughing before he went back to work. She reheated her pizza in the microwave and grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge. She took a sip, and once her food was ready, she sat on the counter, away from all that dust. 

She might as well have skipped reheating the pizza, since it had been ten minutes and she hadn’t been able to give the slice a single bite. She was unable to take her eyes away from Owen and how the biceps on his arms flexed while he carried those pieces of wood around. He was so focused on trying to build what he had in mind, that he didn’t notice his roommate, a few meters away, was checking him out.

“Do you want to join me? I think this is too much pizza for me.” Claire smiled watching him nod and sit on the stool next to hers. 

“Did you heat this up? It’s cold as fuck.” He made a face while chewing the bite he had taken. 

“Ugh... please don’t chew with your mouth open.” Claire wrinkled her nose, pushing his face away from her cheek. 

Owen leaned close and started to chew louder against her ear. “Sorry I eat like a pig and it turns you off...” He nudged her before placing his slice and the one she was holding back on the plate. 

He heated them again and sat back at the counter. 

“So why are we not getting one of those stands that come in a box and you just screw together?” Claire wondered. If he had gotten that, he would have been done hours ago and he would have avoided the mess.

“Because real men build their own stuff!” He made her roll her eyes. “Plus.. I work in construction!” He snorted. 

“Sorry I asked.” She smiled lightly. “Can I help, though?” She nibbled on her pizza.

Owen nodded, watching her green eyes light up at how much she really wanted to be part of this. “You can clean.” 

“You are an asshole.” She was not amused, even if he was laughing because it was obviously a joke. 

“No...I’ll clean! It was just a joke!” He held her hand between his, stopping her from leaving. “Please?” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it gently. 

Claire looked away and shook her head, before she sat back down. “Sometimes you are so...” She sighed softly, unable to find a word, but her eyes were giving away how charming she thought he was. “But there are times when I really want to..argh!” She reached out and wrapped her hands around his neck and shook him lightly. 

Owen chuckled and slowly took her hands away from his neck. He caressed her fingers softly for a couple of seconds before letting go.

 

* * *

 

“I’ve never understood what do you guys find so exciting about hardware stores.” Claire rolled her eyes once the automatic doors opened in front of them. Owen pulled a cart over and pushed it along while they stepped inside. 

“This place is like the toy store for a grown man.” He said proudly, puffing his chest a little bit. Everything in there screamed alpha macho, and he was one of them. 

Claire eyed him and shook her head. “This place looks boring as hell...” 

“So does going shopping with you girls but we still pretend we enjoy it.” He shrugged. 

“Really?” She crossed her arms against her chest. “Hey Owen?” She tilted her head.

“Hmmm?” He was busy letting his eyes sparkle at all the tools on the stand they had beside them. 

“Want to ditch this and head over to the Victoria’s Secret next door? Help me buy some underwear?” 

His hazel eyes landed on her, forgetting about all those tools for a second as he gasped at the imagine of Claire modeling some sexy panties for him. 

“Pretending alright.” She teased him. 

Owen cleared his throat and blushed lightly. “You’ve been such a tease lately. You are grounded.” He picked her up and placed her inside the shopping cart, her legs hanging from the edge while he pushed the cart, facing her. 

He pushed it for a couple of aisles until he got distracted with some new tools they had on display. He squeezed her knee gently while letting his eyes start scanning around. His attention finally fell on a new power drill and he couldn’t believe all the features it had. 

He started listing them all, but for Claire they all sounded like the thing made a hole and nothing more. “I have better holes you can drill.” She scoffed.

“Huh?” He called out a little distracted.

“Nothing.” She watched him put the tool in the cart and tilted her head, “What do you need two of these for?” She rolled her eyes, knowing he had one back home already.

“What do you need fifteen pairs of heels for?” He questioned before he got all the add-on accessories and placed them all in the cart. 

Once he had all he needed, Owen held their cart from the corners and started to push Claire through the aisles. He took a Snickers bar out of his front pocket and after opening the wrapper, he took a bite. 

“Where did you get that?” She tilted her head. 

“The stands at the entrance.” He shrugged. “What? It’s not like I won’t pay for it...I’m just enjoying the product while I’m shopping. I’m hungry and the happier my tummy gets, the more I buy, so they win.” He explained. 

Claire shook her head. “What?” He leaned down, hugging her knees. “Want a bite?” He brought the chocolate bar to her lips and she nibbled on it.  

He pushed the cart down the aisle keeping the posture, his eyes never leaving hers. He offered a cheeky smile while offering her another bite. 

Those green eyes flirted with him as she bit on it and chewed gently. Owen rested his chin on her knee and wiggled his eyebrows, making her giggle. 

She handed him the chocolate so he could have the last bite but he shook his head. “You take it.” He murmured. 

Claire broke the last piece in half and, while nibbling on her piece, she fed him the other one. She brushed the caramel left on her finger pad on his nose and laughed, watching him try to get his tongue to reach up. 

She adjusted in the cart, letting her impulses take control of her. She leaned forward, about to lick it off, when he hit the shelf at the end of the aisle. She cried at the impact and laughed. 

“Only infants up to the age of four are allowed in the carts.” A security guard explained. 

“Oh, we didn’t know.” Owen suggested. He helped Claire out of it and smiled at her. “I’m sorry your ride was cut short by someone who has never had fun in his life.” He turned to look at the officer.

“And keep it PG. It’s a public store, folks.” The older man scoffed, rolling his eyes. He then muttered: “Wait until you have kids. You’ll never touch each other again.” 

Halfway into their shopping, Owen found a basket with rubber balls and, running over to it, he snatched one and started bouncing it around, pretending he was a basketball player of the NBA. 

Claire took hold of the cart, which had all sorts of tools she was sure he didn’t need, but he had the perfect comeback each time she pointed it out, so had decided to let him spend all his money in useless crap.  

Owen started dribbling with the ball, eyeing Claire, who was walking closer. He blocked the cart with his back once she was inches away and, twirling around, he pretended to hook-shoot the ball into the cart. 

The redhead rolled her eyes but couldn’t stop smiling at him. The ball bounced out of the cart and just like a little kid, he went after it. 

At this point, she was glad she had made a list of the actual supplies they needed for the TV stand Owen was supposedly building, and started getting the things herself after noticing he would follow her while having an imaginary basketball game with himself. 

At some point, he started to play behind her, pretending she was a defense from the opposite team and blocking her while she tried to shop for his stuff. He would spin dribble around her and dunk into the cart before grabbing the ball and keep going. 

Claire soon found the bedding aisle and got distracted looking at the different sets they had around. This was definitely better shopping than wood and screws. Owen started to try free shots into the cart while she looked around. The ball bounced out of the cart yet again and rolled all the way to her feet; he ran after it, and when trying to pretend he was fighting the ball with an opposite player, he ended up brushing her ass with his hands. 

“What the fuck!?” She started hitting him with a pillow while he covered his face and laughed. 

“Foul!” He started to mark her for it. 

She dropped the pillow back into the basket she had found it in, and snatched the ball away from him. 

She started pulling it away from him, refusing to give it back to him. He grinned and started to take on the challenge. Without realizing it, Claire was already engaged in his silly basketball game and bouncing the ball, while he blocked her from behind so she couldn’t turn around and shoot over to their cart just a few steps away.

She kept her behind against his front, Owen playfully hugging her from the waist from time to time, only letting go when she started complaining that he was cheating.

Claire tried to dribble around him, but he was quick to block the ball away from her. She blushed bright red, her eyes opened wide, and she nibbled on her lip, feeling how she unintentionally ended up placing her hand on his dick over the shorts he was wearing.

She quickly pulled back and covered her mouth, embarrassed that she had been able to feel how he wasn’t totally flaccid, and their little game had turned him on a little bit. “I’m sorry.” She laughed against her hands. 

He shook his head. “I’ll go get the ball.” He squeezed her shoulder, letting her know it was okay. Owen found the same security guard holding their ball with his foot, waiting for him to go get it, so instead he turned around the corner and walked back to Claire, meeting her up front. 

She was still red as a tomato. “What happened?” She tilted her head.

“Game over.” He grinned and went get their cart so they could go back to their shopping. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to my editor in Chief <3

Claire gasped after waking up. She was sweating, and immediately pushed the sheets down her legs. She rested her hand on her belly, trying to slow down her panting. The dream she had experienced felt so real she could feel the tickles between her legs and her cheeks blush. She covered her face with her hands and chuckled bitterly in the dark, sinking further into her pillows, almost ashamed of herself as she thought about that dream. 

The dream sequence had started with her in the kitchen preparing her morning coffee like she always did. She was wearing a tank top-and-shorts pajama set —not in her work attire like she would have been in real life. 

Owen came out of his room in his boxers, with a large boner, rubbing the back of his head. He smiled at the sight of the redhead and with a soft moan against her ear, he ran his hand around her waist and pressed his groin tight against her ass. “Can you feel what you do to me, babydoll?” He groaned, kissing down the side of her neck, making her tilt her head to the side. “You and those skirts you wear to work have my imagination drive me wild.” He added, letting the crack of her ass feel how hard he was for her. 

Claire didn’t hesitate to turn around and run her fingers down his chest. She pulled his shirt over his head and threw it to the side. Their lips immediately pressed against each other, kissing desperately. She moaned, feeling his strong hands cupping her butt cheeks and pulling her up onto the kitchen counter. It didn’t take Owen long before he climbed over on top of her and let his lips travel down her cleavage before taking her. 

The dream hadn’t ended there, but Claire was feeling her whole body ache, in desperate need of a cold shower so she could calm down. She gulped, and getting out of bed, she headed to the bathroom. 

It was almost midnight, so she walked barefoot through the quiet dark apartment. She couldn’t concentrate on anything but those images her brain kept playing from her dream, her senses numbed by that. 

Once she pushed the bathroom door open, swiftly followed by that of the shower — an automatic gesture she had picked up by now — Claire gasped finding the water already running, with Owen under it. 

“So nice of you to join me, I was starting to feel lonely.” He smirked. He was in the middle of soaping his chest.

“What’s this? a dream within a dream?” Claire mumbled to herself. She reached out and pinched his bicep, trying to make sure he was not a dream. 

Owen twitched his arm, “I would rather you pinch me somewhere else....” He licked his lips before he turned a little offering his butt cheek. 

“What...?” Claire finally managed to come back to reality, her green eyes falling down on him, taking how hung he was: her mind had definitely NOT exaggerated anything in her dream — she had a rough idea of his size and thickness, after all she had some prior indirect contact with his bulge.

She gulped and could feel her own body twitch between her legs, “You were not lying...” She mumbled absentmindedly, remembering when she had first moved in and he had insisted about his ‘extra large’ size.

Owen kept soaping his body, feeling totally smug and flattered that she couldn’t seem to be able to take her eyes away from his cock. 

“Hmm? About what?” He tilted his head, his eyes fixed on her features which he was enjoying. 

Claire shifted, and nibbling on her lip, she quickly, still subconsciously, eyed the sink cabinet where he kept his condoms. 

He caught that movement. “Ohhh…so you admit you were wrong, huh?” He knew how much she hated to admit that. “I told you, extra large, baby.” He chuckled, watching her look away, realizing she had been staring all this time. “Now... don’t tell me you are intimidated.” He chuckled, watching her come back to her senses and cover her eyes with one hand.

“Ugh, shut up!” She yelled, turning around and closing the bathroom door behind her. 

 

* * *

 

Owen was standing in front of a shelf filled with women products, completely clueless. He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to figure out why there were so many brands and styles of pads and tampons, and what the hell was a menstrual cup anyways? He had spent five minutes trying to understand how it worked: did they really just plug that in their vagina? Sounded kinky as fuck. 

“You are going to get a period yourself if you keep staring any longer!” A couple of jocks called out from the end of the aisle. They looked about high school age. 

“You think that’s funny huh?” Owen called out, he was holding a pack of Tampax Radiant in one hand and a pack of Playtex sports in the other. He really had no idea what he had gotten into when he had agreed to grab some tampons for Claire while at the store. 

“Oops.. too late. You already stained your ass.” Both boys laughed. 

“Ha-ha.” He rolled his eyes. “You know what this is? This is me having a smoking hot chick up in my apartment who I fuck senseless every night, and _this_ means I’m not knocking her up. What’s up with you, virgins?” He challenged them. “Your mom is probably waiting at the register, so move along. You don’t wanna get lost and cry.”

Both guys looked at each other and kept waking, shaking their heads, completely defeated. A few steps away a young lady had watched the whole thing: she laughed, impressed by how confident Owen was that he didn’t mind shopping for tampons. 

“These are for my roommate.” He smiled lightly. “If they were for my girl...let me assure you, I would know what kind she would use.” He wasn’t flirting, he was just saying. 

“I kinda figured it out when you said you did her senseless...every night.” The young woman inched closer and decided to help Owen with something Claire would get. 

 

* * *

 

“I want him. I want him… bad.” Claire admitted while in the bathroom with her friend Zara from work. Claire was sitting on the edge of the shower while her friend was on the toilet lid.

“Where is he right now?” She knew they had hidden in the bathroom in case he came back, to avoid him walking on them talking about him and Claire’s new found sexual desire for him. 

“At the store. He went to get me some tampons.” Claire shouldn’t get her period until next week but she still had to get some, and since he’d had to go to the store anyways, she’d asked for the favor. 

“He’s a total catch!” Zara said sarcastically. 

“It’s not only sexual...I’ve been feeling very attracted to him lately, too.” Claire blushed. “You know, he does his chores now and he’s been taking extra shifts at work, fishing for a promotion.” She smiled. “And he is so sexy~” Claire sighed before clearing her throat. 

“Okay, so tell me about the sex dream...” Zara shifted and tapped Claire’s knee. She was more interested in that part of the whole thing. 

Owen opened the door to their apartment, carrying the shopping bags, and closed the door with his foot before heading to the kitchen. He looked around, there was no sign of the redhead. 

“Claire Bear?” He called out the nickname he had for her, his secret pet name, knowing she wouldn’t hear him. “I got your tampons.” He started to unpack and put everything away, setting the pack of tampons on the counter. 

He found the phone number the girl from the store had given him and, smiling to himself, he crumbled the little piece of paper and threw it away. 

“It felt so real that I can still feel myself twitching down there when I think about it. God, he is so thick and large...” Claire blushed thinking about it now that she had seen it. 

“He looks like he has a good cock.” Zara nodded. 

“Don’t talk about it like that!” Claire felt a little possessive. “Anyways...he started fucking me on the counter... ugh, just the thought of it is making me wet.” The redhead covered her face with her hands. 

Owen inched towards the bathroom door, tampon box in his hand, and smiled, hearing Claire was in there talking to her friend.

“It’s like he had woken up this savage side in me and I let him fuck my breasts.” Claire was ashamed of that, letting her subconscious picture how his hard cock thrusted between her tits after finding a position where she could simultaneously give him a blowjob. She wasn’t this kinky when awake, in her full five senses: that was something she wouldn’t do. 

“You know...I’ve seen the two of you bickering before. You totally give that vibe as a couple.”

“We are not a couple.” 

“Couple, or just fucking... that’s the vibe you two give... just wild animalistic fucking everywhere.” Zara moved her hand around.

“Stoooppp.” Claire blushed, both girls freezing and going quiet, feeling the bathroom door being opened. 

“I got your tampons...” Owen casually opened her drawer in the cabinet and left them there. “Oh, and I don’t usually do that breast fucking thing.” He shook his head, leaving Claire pale and Zara gasping, making sure her friend wouldn’t die of embarrassment right there and then. “But anything for YOUR boobs, honey.” He pressed his body against the counter while closing the drawer, adjusting his throbbing cock, which was pulsing wildly for Claire and the image she had described. 

The redhead gulped while Zara had her jaw to the floor, being able to appreciate this from the perfect angle. “I’ll be out, I need a drink.” He groaned before he walked out of the bathroom and closed the door behind him. 

“Did you see that?” Zara chuckled. “Girl, why are you still sitting there and not on his face?” She pushed Claire to go after him. “Go...go...go!!” 

 

* * *

 

Owen usually hung out at the bar next to their building. Every bartender there knew him and he had his own tab. He greeted some of the other people who seemed to be always hanging there and head to the bar. He sat at the counter and ordered a beer. 

Merely ten minutes and a couple of sips later, a blonde with a top that only covered half her boobs inched closer to him. She introduced herself, unable to keep her hands off his lap while she twirled him around, wanting Owen to face her. He wasn’t interested and it was evident. He would look away and just sip from his bottle while she talked about god knew what. 

The girl was trying to slip between his legs when Claire made it to the bar and found him at the counter, looking out of the window. She laughed: he had a face that was screaming for someone to kill him and put him out of his misery. 

Hazel eyes were scanning the place; he straightened up when he caught Claire walking in. He followed her with his eyes, and once he realized she was walking his direction he abruptly stood up. Owen was very unaware of this, but it had been a couple of weeks since the last time he had brought a woman up to their place. 

Claire approached him from the side and ran her hand across his shoulder. “Baby...who is this?” She frowned, pretending to be a little upset. 

“I—um—” He felt her hand running up his chest while her green eyes were looking at the other woman down. 

“Who are you?” The blonde stood tall.

“I’m his girlfriend. Who the fuck are you!?” Claire inched closer, really wanting to intimidate her.

“Now baby...she’s nobody.” Owen promised her, his hand brushing around her waist while gently pressing her against the counter. 

Claire was enjoying this more than she thought she would, so she didn’t hesitate to glare at the other woman over Owen’s shoulder while he tried to find her face. 

“Hey...” He cupped her cheeks to keep her face steady, and leaning closer, he kissed her lips. Claire found herself kissing him back a little before she abruptly pulled away. 

“What the—” She gulped, but quickly remembered that girl they wanted to get rid of was there. “Are you lost? The whorehouse is five blocks from here.” Claire spat, Owen trying to restrain himself from laughing. 

“Ugh. You could do much better.” She rolled her eyes. 

“I know...” Claire intersected that one, fully aware she meant Owen. “But I love an idiot, what can I say?” She smiled condescendingly. “Now move along...” She brushed her off with her one hand, the other one gripping at the collar of his shirt. 

Owen licked his lips and smirked playfully once the chick left. 

“What the fuck, Grady!? That was really uncalled for...” She hit his arm before pushing him and releasing his shirt.

“I was trying to be authentic.” He laughed before sitting back on the stool at the counter.

“Right...” Claire looked away, before her eyes moved to find his waiting to make contact with her. She smiled softly, feeling her heart pounding fast, remembering why she was down there in the first place, but at the same time the realization that he was a playboy was fresh in her mind. After a few seconds, she shrugged and started to turn around.

“Do you want to join me for a drink? My treat.” He called out. 

Claire smiled and shook her head. “I don’t really drink.” She blushed, but still took the stool next to his. 

“Oh right.” He recalled she was always passing on beers. “Hey Joe.. a glass of chocolate milk for my girl here?” He playfully asked. 

Claire pushed him playfully and looked down at her hands over the counter. “So why do you hook up with those chicks if you don’t like it?” She wondered. 

Owen shrugged. “Because the ones I like aren’t interested.” He took a sip of his beer and eyed her. 

“I find it very hard to believe that there’s a woman out there who wouldn’t be interested in you.” She smiled softly. 

“One chocolate milk.” The bartender served, making Owen laugh. 

“Cheers.” He offered, waiting for Claire to take a sip of her cold milk. 

“Plus, at least one of the many of them has to find you attractive.” She shrugged. 

“There’s no many. There’s one, just one.” Owen admitted, finding her green eyes moving from her glass of milk over to his hazel eyes. 

The redhead gulped. “Um...well...have you tried asking her out?” She chewed on the inside of her lip, blushing lightly.

“Nah. She’s too much for me.” He shook his head and took a sip of his beer. 

“Oh.” She nodded. “I think you should give it a shot, maybe she’s into you and you guys are just being idiots wasting time.” She smiled softly. 

“Yeah...maybe.” Owen smirked before bringing the bottle to his lips. Their knees brushed lightly as she leaned closer, feeling his arm around her shoulders after dragging his stool closer to hers.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to my editor in chief <3

Lazy Saturday mornings usually involved Owen sitting on the couch, resting between the arm and the back rest, his legs stretched out across the couch while happily munching on his Lucky Charms and watching his cartoons. 

His hazel eyes were gently fixed on the young lady straddling his knees as she brushed her red long hair. He hadn’t noticed the soft smile curved on his lips, completely lost while watching her tilt her head down and comb her hair over her head. 

It wasn’t until he felt some milk dripping from the corner of his lips that he realized he was staring. He cleaned his chin with his sleeve and swallowed the spoonful of milk he was holding in his mouth.

“What~?” Green eyes flirted with him, Claire tucked her hair behind her ears and smiled playfully. She secretly enjoyed when Owen stared, so she avoided letting him know she could tell. 

Owen gulped his next sip of milk and shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m just curious... how many hours a day do you spend grooming yourself?” He adjusted, licking his lips when Claire leaned against the couch next to him. 

“Some people are not lucky to be as naturally adorable as you are...” She flirted, letting her finger poke his cheek as she looked down to his lips, feeling his hand holding her close by her waist, her legs bent to the side while she adjusted in the small space between his hips and the back rest. 

“...Stop it, you are making me blush.” He teased back, tickling her sides and making her shift before she rested against his chest. 

She giggled against his shoulder, burying her face in it, before moving her attention to the tv screen. “What are those supposed to be?” She tilted her head, trying to recognize the characters on his cartoon.

“Ren is a chihuahua and Stimpy is a cat.” He explained, his fingers playing with the ends of her hair. 

“Okay...” She nodded, not really finding the cartoon of her liking. “So they are clearly on pills.” She curved an eyebrow. She honestly couldn’t understand what had Owen laughing so hard. 

Owen turned his attention to her and smiled softly, brushing his fingers down her jawline, “We can watch something else, I don’t mind.” He offered softly. 

Claire gulped and shook her head. “You watch your silly cartoon.” She chuckled lightly. “Maybe it will grow on me.” She shrugged. 

He looked down and nodded before kissing her forehead and resting his chin on top of her head. 

“So, do you have any plans for he weekend?” She looked up, waiting for his answer. 

“Nah. I’m just gonna stay on this couch in my boxers playing or something.” He shrugged and she narrowed her eyes a little. “Of course if me in boxers doesn’t bother you.” He couldn’t help messing with her, but it was a mutual thing. Their thing.

“Knock yourself out.” She teased him. “I won’t be home anyways, I have that Christmas party from work, remember?” 

“Oh...yeah. Obnoxious co-workers who had had one too many drinks and can’t stop singing Christmas carols...fun!”

Claire frowned and nibbled on her lower lip. “Yeah, especially when you’re the only one in the office who doesn’t drink.” She rolled her eyes, tired of people at work and some of her friends picking on her for it. 

“Why don’t you?” Owen suggested. “A couple of beers won’t kill you. We can try it out today if you want.” 

Claire laughed. “Try it out? As in, you will teach me how to drink?” She snorted. “I think I’ll pass.” 

“I mean, we can sit here and have one beer, lick some nuts, and just chill.” He smiled, his finger twirling a strand of her hair. Claire laughed. “What?” He frowned and chuckled. 

“Nothing~” She shook her head, feeling her cheeks red.

“That’s more than nothing...” He nudged her and watched her give him those ashamed eyes she offered from time to time when guilty of giving something a double meaning. “You have a very naughty mind, sweetheart.” He shook his head. 

“No...no...” she pointed out, defending herself, while trying to keep her laugh under control. “Your choice of words is to blame! Who—who licks nuts?” She had to hold her belly, unable to stop laughing.

“I do! I lick them and then throw them away. I like their salty taste, but beyond that, they’re disgusting.”

“Stooppp...” She hid her face in his neck, trying to calm down. Once she relaxed, she was able to look up and nibbled on her lower lip. “One beer, Owen!” She pointed with her finger. 

“Well, the thing is about seeing how much you can hold.” He explained. The redhead narrowed her eyes, and after thinking about it for a couple of seconds, she nodded. 

 

* * *

 

Owen had her drinking a glass of water before they officially started to measure her alcohol tolerance. She didn’t understand why but she followed his suggestion anyway; she figured he knew what he was doing since he went out almost every weekend and had yet to see him drunk. 

“Okay the first rule for newbs, drink a glass of water before each drink.” He finally explained why she had to sip through a whole glass not even fifteen minute ago. “And only have one drink per hour.” He recommended while bringing a couple of beers out of the fridge and she grabbed some plates and napkins for the pizza they had ordered. 

“I can do that.” She nodded, it even sounded like something she could come up with; basically create an itinerary between alcohol and water and not exceed on getting more than a drink.

“I’m sure the place you will be hanging out at has a menu, so stick to greasy food — I know you don’t like it, but it’s just for one night…two, counting today.” He shrugged. 

Claire nodded and watched him open their beers. He handed her one and clicked them together. “Cheers baby!” He took the first sip and watched her do the same. 

She made a face, hating the taste. “Why do you like this again?” She felt the sour taste it left on her tongue. 

“It’s fun.” He shrugged, not really having an answer for her. 

They sat in the living room, Owen drinking his beer slowly to help her pace so her beer could last at least half an hour. He also didn’t eat as much as he usually would, that way the pizza would be enough for the night. They had set a timer to go off in three hours which was the prudent time for Claire to stay at the party and then leave. That meant she had a goal of three beers and four glasses of water to drink, not to mention at least three slices of pizza. 

He was shuffling a deck of cards while she laughed. Only Owen could come up with the most witty and silly things, making the usual drinking games be applied to sips instead of shots. 

It still did the trick, and after almost two beers, she was already starting to be way more loosened up than usual. “What other game do you know?” She asked him while she leaned against his chest and her nails playfully scratched his knee. 

“Have you ever played Suck and Blow?” Owen asked while he reached out for an empty bowl they had on the table. 

Claire shook her head and nibbled on her lower lip.

“Well, we time one minute and one of us sucks on a card while the other one has to take it with their lips and drop it into the bowl. Once the minute is up, we do it the other way and the person who managed to get more cards in the bowl wins.” He shrugged.

She looked away and smiled to herself, her eyes slowly moving back to his. Claire reached out and took the deck of cards from him. She toyed with one between her fingers and blushed lightly. “Can we have a tryout first?” She suggested softly before bringing the first card to her lips.

They adjusted, sitting straight on the couch. She sucked on the card and watched him lean close, feeling his lips through the card while he sucked on the opposite side of it and dropped it into the bowl. 

“See? Not that hard.” He smiled. “Are you ready to do it for real?” He curved an eyebrow. 

Claire nodded and waited for Owen to time a minute on his phone. She took a second card and waited for him to lean in to take it and drop it to the bowl before she did the same with a third one and then a fourth one.

By the sixth card she was giggling, watching how each time he was closer to her and basically had the bowl under their faces and was just letting the cards fall into it. She kept leaning back feeling like their lips could touch at any second. 

He went all the way in without touching the card and aiming for her lips, but Claire started laughing and turned her face to the side, pushing him lightly. 

“You are adorable.” He laughed along and couldn’t stop himself from pressing a kiss to her cheek. 

“Or just half drunk...” She laughed before she took the bowl away from him and started to count how many cards he had been able to get in it. “Half of these don’t even count.” She shook her head. 

Owen licked his lips and grabbed a card, waiting for Claire to set the minute on the timer. He placed the card over his lips and sucked on it. 

Claire rested her hands on his knees and leaned close. She closed her eyes and, sucking on the card, she dropped it into the bowl. She kept her lips not even half an inch from his every time she waited for him to suck on a new card, her fingers slipping higher the closer she moved. 

She giggled, feeling her nose brush against his, their foreheads basically resting against each other between cards.  Owen gulped and held the next card against his lips, pulling it away before Claire could get to it; she intuitively put all her weight over her arms, her hands all the way up to his groin, to stop herself. 

She pulled back and blushed, covering her face with her hands. “I’m sorry.” She always ended up with her hands all over his private parts. 

“You say you are sorry, but you keep doing it.” He messed with her before holding her close and letting her ride her blush against his chest. 

Soon, their three hour timer was going off, interrupting their night drinking. He turned it off and kissed the top of her head. “How did I score?” Claire asked about the moderation she should follow the next night.

“I think you can pull off three beers but only if you drink one every hour... as in you let 60 minutes go by after your last one. and you managed to drink a whole glass of water between them.” Owen sighed before he reached out for a slice of pizza. “And don’t forget the greasy food.” He added while nibbling on his bite.

“Okay.” She nodded and leaned against the couch, his arm slipping around her right away. “Thank you, Grady.” She nudged him before reaching out and pinching a piece of pepperoni from his slice, nibbling on it. 

He smiled and nodded. “You’re welcome, Dearing.” He nudged her back. Owen picked another piece of pepperoni and fed it to her.

 

* * *

 

“Am I grounded, Daddy?” Claire pouted while sitting on one of the stools at the bar. The party had ended about an hour before and the redhead had passed out after going over her limit and being too tipsy to count fingers. 

Owen had to clear his throat and try not to let that line get to him and reply with something that would trigger a kinky conversation. She was drunk and she wouldn’t remember any of this the next day. 

“You are mad at me aren’t you?” She frowned. She reached out and hugged his waist, resting her head against his chest. She closed her eyes, hoping everything would stop spinning. 

“Come on, let’s go home.” He murmured. He gently carried her bridal style and slipped her into the backseat of the taxi waiting for them. 

She managed to close her eyes for about five minutes, her face hidden in the crook of his neck. She moaned softly, taking in his scent while her hands where holding him close. 

“Did I ruin your plans for tonight?” She murmured. “Is there going to be a girl waiting for you upstairs?” She frowned.

“No. I told you I didn’t have plans for tonight.” He pushed her hair back. 

She nodded and brushed her nose up his jawline, making him twitch in his seat. “What do they have that I don’t?” She wondered. “Why don’t you bring me home with you?” 

Owen gulped and kissed her forehead gently. “What are you talking about? I’m bringing you home right now.” He tried to dodge that question.

“True...” Claire laughed, too intoxicated to even understand what she was telling him or realize he had completely distracted her from her original question. 

He chuckled along. “And I’m paying for the cab. I never do that, but anything for you.” He poked her nose. 

“Are you sure that’s not from the pickpocketing you think I don’t notice?” She laughed. “Oh...you are busted, baby...” Claire mocked him now that she had called him out.

“How many drinks have you had?” He had to turn his head to the side, she had heavy alcohol breath. 

Claire lifted three fingers and then shook her head, started quietly counting fingers and once again pointed three fingers up. 

Owen nodded and kissed her digits. “Okay we are home.” He announced before he pulled out some cash to pay their cab. 

He carried her upstairs to their apartment and headed to her bedroom. He made sure to take her heels and her jacket off and tucked her under the sheets. “I’ll go get you a glass of water okay?” He pushed her hair back. 

Claire nodded. “And then you come back?” She asked.

Owen nodded and headed to the kitchen. Once he was back, he sat on the edge of her bed, watching her slowly gulping all the liquid. 

She smiled and reached out for his hand. He linked his eyes with hers and moved closer, feeling her pulling on his arm. 

“Spend the night with me?” She whispered into his ear like a little girl would to her best friend when telling a secret. She nibbled on her nails and giggled. 

Owen took his shoes off and adjusted on the side of the bed she had freed for him. “I’ll keep an eye on you all night.” He slid under the sheets, her scent in them completely intoxicating. 

Claire hugged his chest and snuggled close. She nosed into his neck and gently brushed her lips against it, her hand slowly caressing his chest. He looked down at her, in his arms, in her bed, and he right away got addicted to the feeling of it all. 

He could tell from her eyes that she was a little drunk, but that didn’t stop her from looking at him so intensely. He looked down just a little bit. 

“Owen...” She ran her hand around the back of his neck.

“Hmmm?” He tilted his head, feeling how his body and his mind were fighting, not wanting to take advantage of her being a little intoxicated.

“I need to throw up.” She admitted, feeling really sick.

 

* * *

 

Claire let out a whine the moment the sun hit her face through the window. Her red hair was a mess and she felt like shit. 

She turned around and hugged the pillow next to hers. She nuzzled into it and smiled softly, feeling Owen’s scent lingering on it. It took her a minute to wonder how it had caught his smell. 

“Good morning, sleeping beauty. How’s your first hangover treating you?” Owen greeted her with a tray. He set it on the bed and sat next to her.

He had a couple of burritos for her to eat, they worked wonders for hangovers. He also had three glasses of water and some pills for the headache she had yet to address out loud, but he knew she had. 

“Ugh...” She made a face and shook her head. “Those things look disgusting.” She gagged. “And they smell like puke.” 

“That’s actually you.” He said softly.

“Oh god.” She brushed her hands over her face. “Did I throw up all over you?” She could barely keep her eyes open, feeling them heavy. 

“A little bit.” He nodded. “But most of it is in your hair.” He explained. “I tried to hold it up but you bit me.” He showed her the mark.

Her eyes grew big. “I want to die.” She sank into her pillows and blushed. 

“It’s okay. It doesn’t hurt anymore and it’s kind of sexy.” He teased her.

“Ugh.” She shook her head.

“Do you want to go take a shower? I’ll change your sheets.” He offered. Between the smell of vomit and alcohol, he could only imagine how that wasn’t helping with the nausea she was feeling. 

“Thank you.” She nodded before taking one of the glasses of water and the pills and gulping them down. 

After about an hour, Claire joined Owen in the living room. He had reheated her hangover burritos and was waiting for her with a blanket they could share. 

She was wearing clean pajamas and her hair was still wet, not having bothered with the hair dryer. She slid under the blanket with him and felt how he pulled her closer, wrapping his arm around her. 

“So every time I have a bad hangover — which is almost never, I like watching fluffy, feel-good movies.” He explained. He had already picked one for them to watch and pressed play on one of his favorite comedies: _Ferris_ _Bueller’s_ _Day_ _Off_. He knew she’d like it since it was just a smartass teenager getting his way while skipping school for one day. 

She nodded and made a face, shaking her head when he offered to feed her the burrito. She hid her face against his bicep. “Nooo.” 

“Okay. Maybe later.” He nodded. “Or do you want me to make you a soup?” He heard those worked sometimes. 

Claire shook her head. “I feel like crap.” She shifted. 

“I feel horrible.” He chuckled. “I should have just told you to fuck that party and stay with me.” 

Those green eyes looked up at him and she smiled. “Can I confess something to you?”

“Yeah~” He nodded.

“I was hoping to hear you suggest that; stay in with you and just watch your vulgar cartoons or play your graphic games.” She shrugged. 

“I would have loved that.”

Claire smiled softly and nodded. “I don’t blame you though. It’s my own fault for wanting to please someone hoping they would like me.” She shrugged. 

Owen frowned and rubbed the back of his neck. “Um...”

“It’s okay...” She shook her head. She shifted and held him close, before finding herself slowly drowsing to sleep. “I’ll get over it.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoutout to my editor in chief! <3

Sitting on the couch playing video games was Owen’s go to activity now that he hadn’t been going out that much. He was wearing a pair of blue Super Mario Bros sweatpants and a tank top. 

He had been playing for a couple of hours, nothing being able to keep his attention away from the screen. That was, until Claire came rushing to him. She was wearing a black woven dress with sheer lace décolletage, and fluttering half sleeves with a matching lace trim. 

His eyes were immediately on her and he couldn’t help smiling a little, either. He had to clear his throat before pausing his game. “You look beautiful.” Owen ended up mumbling what he was thinking.

Claire smiled back softly and blushed slightly, letting him know she liked the fact that he thought so. “Can you zip me up?” She asked gently, turning her back on him. 

Owen stood up and let his fingers brush against her back, taking the zipper in his fingers and pulling it up. She turned around and made eye contact with him. 

His eyes were soft on her, taking in each of the freckles that her dress didn’t cover. Owen reached out and started to fix her hair, twirling it around his finger and just leaving it over her shoulders as he liked it. 

“Oh...I’m not—I haven’t fixed my hair yet.” She couldn’t help keep blushing. 

He nodded and pulled back, watching her go back to her room. Owen went back to his game, finding himself pausing it every minute or so, looking back to her room, unable to concentrate.

It wasn't until someone knocked at their door that Claire called out from her room. “Shoot. Can you please let him know I’ll be out in five minutes?” She asked. 

Him...who the fuck was _him_? Owen stood up from the couch and headed to the front door. There was a handsome tall man, with a square jaw and penetrating blue eyes standing there. He was wearing a tuxedo and was holding a single rose in his hands. 

Owen looked down at his toes as he stood barefoot at the door and shook his head, slamming the door on the guy’s face he went back to his video game.

“Where’s Brennan?” Claire came back out, fixing a pair of earring in her ears. 

“Who?” Owen mumbled while beating the crap out of the thief he had caught in the video game he was playing. 

“Brennan, my date.” She frowned. “The guy I asked if you could walk in and to wait for me?”

“Oh. I thought that was the pizza delivery guy.” Owen never took his eyes off the tv screen. “So I told him no one had asked for him to show up and sent him home.” 

“Owen, c’mon!” She didn’t find that amusing. She walked to the door and smiled, finding the guy was still standing there. “Hi. Sorry about that.” Claire apologized with a blush. 

“You look beautiful.” He smiled and after kissing the back of her hand he handed her the rose. 

“You look beautiful...” Owen mocked after rolling his eyes. “Come up with your own lines, jerk.” He looked over his shoulder, watching this blond haired loser helping Claire into her jacket and holding the door for her so she could walk out first. 

“We are going to the theater and then to dinner. Don’t wait up.” Claire squealed lightly before waving Owen goodbye. 

Owen frowned once he watched her leave holding that guy’s hand. The sound of her voice telling him not to wait up made him sick to his stomach. 

He tossed the controller against the coffee table and headed to his room. Owen suddenly was in need of a beer, so he had to change. 

 

* * *

 

Joe, the bartender, had witnessed Owen go from not wanting to talk and just drink to be completely sobbing against the counter. He was telling Joe how Claire had left to go on a date with some pretty boy and how she was going to marry him and have babies with him. 

“I know I’m a little messy, but I could make her happy bro.” He wiped his nose with the sleeve of his shirt before he gulped his fourth beer jar in an hour. 

This Brennan guy looked exactly like her type though. The kind of guy who would enjoy all those boring documentaries she liked and be able to follow up a conversation about them once over. 

“He probably has his fine soft hands all over her right now.” Owen gagged. “If she doesn’t like my hands, I can take care of them. Do you know a good lotion for ‘em?” Owen looked down to his hands before holding his jar over so he could get another one. 

Joe just shook his head, he had never seen Owen like this. He sighed and poured him a fifth beer. 

“I’m not going to her wedding. I am not!” He insisted before gulping half his beer down. “She looked so beautiful.” Owen smiled. “She always does. You know her Joe...isn’t she gorgeous and perfect?”

“Yeah sure.” The bartender agreed while taking care of the drinks for the other people at the bar.

Joe was getting a couple of cold beers to the two guys sitting on the stools next to Owen. They were talking about who were sexier; if blondes, brunettes, or redheads. 

One of them was all for brunettes; blondes were too predictable and boring. The other guy was all about redheads. “You know what the say about redheads...” nudged the other guy. “Rusty roof means a wet basement.” They both laughed, ultimately agreeing that redheads were the wildest. 

It didn’t take long for a drunk Owen to find himself punching that guy right on the jaw. “Don’t you talk like that about Claire Bear or I’ll kill you, you sick motherfucker!” 

His intoxicated state had taken the comment personally and thought they were talking about _his_ redhead. Owen felt the guy returning the punch, and in seconds they broke into a fight. 

The play had gone wonderfully for Claire; however, now that she was sitting with Brennan through dinner, she was finding herself a little bored. 

She was picking on her food while he was telling her about this mini series he had watched on History Channel that he highly recommend. 

Claire didn’t know why, but he was boring her to death. Brennan hadn’t been able to make her laugh once or made her feel sexy at all. She knew it was not the guy’s fault, they were always engaging in this kind of conversations at work and she always found it refreshing that she had finally found someone she could have a conversation on subjects she usually found intriguing like politics. 

It was evident that the two of them, even if they had a lot of things in common, had zero chemistry. 

After dinner, Brennan dropped her back to her apartment, both of them in a mutual agreement that they were better off as friends. Claire promised to check out the mini series he was talking about and, saying goodbye, she got into the apartment. 

Claire found it dark and empty. She checked the time on her wrist watch, it was 9PM so she figured Owen was downstairs getting a drink. He hadn’t put away his controller, which was odd. 

The redhead got comfortable on the couch after changing into her pjs. She had her legs bent up, her feet resting on the edge of the coffee table across from her, and her macbook on her lap. She figured she should watch that mini series now that Owen was not home and she wouldn’t get distracted. 

Around midnight, Claire had finished all three episodes, so she decided to go to bed. She was on her way back to her bedroom when she heard him unlock the door and stumbling in.

“Fuck! Who turned on the light!?” Owen covered his face with one arm, feeling the bright artificial light hurting his eyes. 

“You?” Claire pointed out, as his other hand was still on the switch. It took her that long to figure out he was drunk. “What happened to you?” She walked closer, noticing he had a busted lip which had stopped bleeding a while back. 

“My lip hurts, my head hurts, my arm hurts.” He mumbled.

“Ugh. You smell like vomit.” She gagged. “C’mon...” She offered, leading him to the bathroom. Claire turned the light on but he started whining, so she turned it back off, using the one from the living room to guide herself in there. She helped him sit on the toilet lid and fetched some clean towels and the first aid kit. 

Owen flinched a little, feeling her disinfect his lip and all the different wounds he had in his face as well and checking his eye and the bruise he had there.

“Are you going to tell me about your fight?” She frowned, carefully washing his face with another towel. 

“No. Bars are not a place for pretty ladies like you.” He shook his head before feeling her keeping it still, her fingers holding his chin steadily. 

“How did you get puke in your hair?” Claire had to look away. She opened the faucet in the sink and help him stand up. She made him lean down while she stood behind him. 

“I fell asleep on it.” He laughed, letting her maneuver him around. 

“Tell you what, for today only we can use my shampoo to wash it.” She kept pressing him down so his hair could be washed with the cold water coming from the sink while she reached for the shampoo in the shower. 

“Your hair smells so good. I sometimes like to smell it when we are watching TV.” He confessed. 

Claire smiled to herself hearing that, and quietly started to wash it. It only took her a couple of minutes. He then stood still and stared to shake his head, making water splash everywhere. She laughed covering her face with her arms. 

Owen turned around and looked down at her. He smiled softly and slowly let his hands caress her arms. He leaned closer, making her pull back. “Ugh, you need to brush your teeth.” She hook her head. 

He nodded in agreement. 

Claire gulped lightly and curled her fingers around the ends of the long sleeved shirt he was wearing, stained with what she was positive was some of his vomit. 

“But first, we need to change you up.” She mumbled, feeling him step closer to her. She started to bring his shirt up but he stopped her halfway up his chest. 

“No...no.” He shook his head and took her hands away from his shirt. “I think you are pretty hot and all..but...” Owen shook his head, tugging at the ends of her pajama top. “But I’m not sleeping around. Not anymore.”

Claire blushed and smiled lightly. “We need to change you...” She explained. “Nothing else, I promise.” 

“Good. I...I want my roommate to see I can commit.” He explained. “But she is on a date with her future husband, a loser.” He added bitterly.

Her green eyes tried to find his intoxicated hazel ones. Claire nibbled on her lower lip and nodded. “We kind of need to give you a whole shower.” She suggested, letting him take the shirt off himself. He had really thrown up all over himself.

Claire gulped and gently let her fingers brush through his chest hair. “Is this why you got into a fight?” She asked tenderly. “Because I went on a date?” 

“No.” Owen shook his head. “I got into a fight because I’m drunk.” He laughed, his hand capturing hers and keeping it against his heart beat. 

“Do you think you can step out of your shoes?” She wondered. Owen nodded and held onto her arms. “Would you let me get you into the shower? I promise I won’t look down.” She teased. 

“I wish I were sober for this.” Owen teased.

“If you were sober, we wouldn’t be doing this, silly.” She flirted back. 

He laughed mischievously, seeing her undo his jeans after she turned the hot water on. Claire decided to leave his briefs on: there wasn’t really a reason why she should take them off.

Claire found the bandage he had around his bicep and let her fingers find the edge so she could take it off. 

“No!” Owen pulled his arm back. “You can’t see that! It’s a secret!” He sheltered his arm with his body, turning sideways. 

After he had been kicked out of the bar for picking up a fight, he had ended up at the tattoo shop across the street. He'd wanted to prove the redhead how much she meant to him and had gotten a tattoo; that’s as much as he remembered, aside from knowing she wasn’t to see it.

Claire rolled her eyes. “I can’t really shower you with that bandage on.” She explained. 

“Then you shower from here to here.” He gestured to his body sections she could wash, distant enough from his left arm. 

Claire managed to wash his chest, his neck, and give his hair a second wash too. She tried to keep the lower half of his body from getting too wet, and once she successfully took the stink of vomit off of him, she dried him up with a towel. 

Soon enough, Claire had him wearing a fresh pair of pants and helped him get in bed. “You shouldn’t go home by yourself so late.” Owen suggested. 

Claire tilted her head, her room was a few steps away. She had forgotten Owen had yet to fully recognize her. 

“You can stay here. I’ll take the couch.” He sat up. “And I’m not taking no for an answer!” He demanded.

“No...I’m not letting you spend the night on the couch.” She shook her head. “I’ll go clean the bathroom and meet you here okay?” She suggested. 

“I’m not going anywhere.” He promised. “I—I think I’ll wait until I’m good enough for you.” 

Claire sighed and frowned. “Be right back...” She offered. 

As promised, she came back to his bedroom and crawled into bed next to him. She got under the sheets and curled on her side, facing him. 

He smiled softly. “Is he now your boyfriend?” He wondered a little sad.

Claire pushed his hair to the side, before letting her fingers feel the wounds he had in his face. She was sure all this was linked to her going out on that date. 

“No...” She assured him gently. 

“Why not?” He murmured, holding her close to him. 

“Because he was not you.” She admitted. 

Owen smiled softly and kissed her nose, making close her eyes. 

She adjusted in his arms, feeling him hold her close. She offered a chaste peck against his lips and closed her eyes. “Goodnight Owen...”

He smiled wide and happily kept her in his embrace. “Goodnight Claire Bear” he mumbled before slowly drifting to sleep. 


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoutout to my editor in Chief <3

It was the loud sound of Owen snoring that woke Claire up. She whined, tilting her head up from his shoulder. He was on his back with his right arm under her neck, wrapping her gently. She blushed, finding she had slept on his chest and holding him close. 

She giggled at the sight of his mouth open as he was passed out. She reached out and pushed his jaw close with her finger. She couldn’t help but think he was too adorable, fighting the urgency to kiss his cheek gently. 

Claire fixed the sheets over him before she slowly sat up. She wondered how much he would remember of the previous night once he woke up. She had been in that position recently and she couldn’t remember most of it, no matter how hard she tried to think about it. 

Her green eyes scanned his body lightly until they found his left arm resting on his lower abdomen. The bandage he had on his bicep was loose now. She nibbled on her lower lip and tilted her head, trying to make out what it said. She could only read the last two letters. 

Claire moved her eyes back to Owen to make sure he was still sleeping and quietly folded the bandage over to read what he had gotten tattooed while drunk. 

Her gasp woke him up. “What?” He frowned, finding her sitting on his bed. He cleaned the saliva running down his cheek and let his hazel eyes follow her finger pointing at his bicep. 

“Oh...” He scratched the back of his head. “So this was the pain from last night.” He laughed. 

“This is not a joke, what the fuck!?” Claire got out of bed and headed out of his bedroom. The behavior he was displaying last night when drunk was more serious than she thought. 

Owen groaned, dealing with a headache from hell. He headed to the kitchen, where he found her. He was going to pour himself a glass of water but Claire already had it ready for him, as well as holding a couple of pills for his pain. 

“What the hell were you thinking!?” She hit him with the kitchen cloth while he took his pills. 

“I wasn’t! I was drunk, remember?” He rolled his eyes. “Besides, it’s just a tattoo.” He frowned robbing his arm lightly. 

“A tattoo of MY name. And _Claire_ _Bear_? Seriously?” The redhead sighed and walked towards the kitchen counter. “Where did you get that name from?” She had never heard him call her that before.

“Yeah...well...” He shrugged. “Can we please not? I have a headache and I’m not in the mood.” He looked at her with those same sad eyes he’d had the previous night. 

“It was just one date, Owen.” She chuckled. “And you went out there and got drunk, into a fight, and now you have to live with that huge thing in your arm.” 

“Well it’s my arm and I don’t even know why you are making a big fuzz about it. It’s just a stupid tattoo.” He explained. 

“You don’t even regret it! You know, anyone else would be already going to get it removed by now.” She frowned. “What is it? Why did you do it? She fixed her eyes on his. “What does it mean to you?” 

Owen shook his head. “Nothing. It doesn’t mean anything. Why are you trying to find logic in what a drunk fool did last night?” He insisted. 

Claire frowned, disappointed. “So everything you did last night and said last night was nothing, it meant nothing.” She shrugged. 

“You got it.” He nodded. “So whatever nonsense I told you while drunk, let it go.” He shrugged. “And I’m sorry if this meaningless tattoo offends you. I’ll make sure to keep it off your sight.” He added, resting his arms against the counter.

“Maybe you should get drunk more often, at least like that you have the balls to be honest and you aren’t a jerk.” Claire looked away.

“Jesus, you are really invested in this, aren’t you?” He rolled his eyes. “What do you want to hear? That I went out to get drunk because you left with the first nerd you saw when I’ve been standing here for months but you won’t look at me?”

Claire’s green eyes went wide, and even though that was somewhat around the words she wanted to hear, he managed to upset her. “Don’t you dare, Owen.” She shook her head. “You have no right! You have no right to get upset about me dating and acting like this... saying I don’t even notice you.”

“Ha! And you do? Why are you always so rude to the women I bring over? What’s with you getting jealous of them anyways? I stopped bringing chicks over because I didn’t want to upset you. And you know what’s the difference between you and me? That I wasn’t rude to your four-eyed boyfriend. I dealt with it my way.”

“You slammed the door in his face! And he is not my boyfriend!” She insisted. “The difference is that I didn’t have him walking around the apartment half naked, leaving his tramp-y underwear all around.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest and pursed her lips. 

“You might as well have, but he ended up being a fucking loser, but I get it...that’s how you like them.. refined virgins who own their own tux and are smart. I’m sorry if I’m not good enough, but it’s whatever.” 

Claire chuckled. “Seriously? I thought you were just not into me but seems like you are really this clueless. Shouldn’t you have like a great deal of experience and basically be able to read our minds?” She looked away and pursed her lips. “Because I’m sure I have hinted at you plenty and you never acted on it. Or it’s this because you are used to have your chicks just grab your dick and put it in their mouths doing all the work themselves?” 

“I have acted on it! I have hinted back that I got your hints and was very much interested.” He defended himself. 

“No you didn’t! It was because you didn’t that I decided to move on.” She spat out, just like she had told him that other day when she was dealing with a hangover from hell that she would. 

“I did at the bar! I kissed you and you scolded me for it.” He shrugged.

“Are you serious? That’s...that doesn’t even count.” She laughed and brushed her forehead with her fingers. “You know, I actually went down looking for you so we could act on this...on us....”

Owen was quiet, he could feel his headache pounding hard and it was driving him crazy. He wanted to rest and watch his cartoons cuddled with her, but instead they were fighting because they both were idiots.

“...Fuck you for kissing me like that and think I would take it seriously.” She frowned. “You really don’t think that’s how our first kiss would have gone, do you?” She couldn’t believe this. “You can’t be that—“

“No...” Owen interrupted her, assuring that it wasn’t. He had thought about that moment many times, and in none of them did he steal a kiss just to mess with her. “I meant for it to be something like this...” He pulled her against his chest from her waist and slowly kissed her. 

Claire didn’t hesitate to return the kiss after closing her eyes. She let him lead it, melting in his embrace while their lips finally tasted each other for the first time. He pulled lightly on her lower lip before leaning back. 

She gulped, her hands shyly reaching out, brushing his biceps, leaning forward. Owen leaned back. “What are you doing?” He asked gently. 

Claire smiled with a light pink blush in her cheeks. “Will you just stand still?” She murmured, her hand moving up and holding his chin gently while she kissed him lovingly. 

Owen wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tight against his frame, their kiss growing deeper but still tender. 

They both pulled back and let their eyes make contact for a second, exchanging a light smile. Claire held onto his shoulders after feeling how their lips were kissing a third time. The smacking sound of their kiss filling the kitchen before they rested their foreheads together. Owen grinned, hearing her giggling happily. 

His lips were adoring one side of her neck, peppering it with kisses for a few seconds. Claire let her hands slid up his naked pectorals and her fingers play with his chest hair. He pulled her up from her thighs, making her straddle his waist, her arms hugging his neck. 

He looked up, kissing her chin, before her lips met his. She smiled against them, feeling him walk to her bedroom. Claire giggled when he pushed the door closed with his foot and lied her down onto the bed. 

Claire was blushing, feeling her heart beating loudly against her chest. Owen adjusted and kissed her lips lovingly. Hearing her moan for the first time made him twitch in his pants. He had had countless dreams about provoking that sound in her, and it was more amazing when coming from her rather than his imagination. 

It was the urgency in her fingers looking for the waistband of his pants that made him smile against her lips. “Where are you going in such a rush?” He teased her, pecking her lips lovingly a couple of times. 

“To the stars...with you...” She mumbled closing her eyes and letting his lips take possession of her neck, leaving soft pecks down on it while his hands pinned hers over her head. 

“I—I’ve been wanting this to happen for so long.” He confessed, peppering kisses along her jawline until he met her lips once again. 

“Me too...” She breathed out softly, shifting her legs around, getting comfortable under his frame. Claire gulped, tilting her head back, his lips traveling down her throat, leaving adoring nips along her collarbone. 

Owen let go of her hands and kissed her lovingly while leading them up her abdomen under her pajama top. He groaned, feeling her bare breasts with his finger tips. He squeezed them softly and took a couple of seconds to explore her nipples. 

He pulled the top over her head and tossed it to the side. His lips slowly traveled down and found her right breast. He kissed it gently before he let the tip of his tongue taste it. Claire arched her back lightly and moaned at the feeling of his lips nibbling on it before playing with her nipple. 

Her hand ran though his hair while he paid equal attention to the other breast. Owen then slid up and let their lips kiss for a few seconds, their tongues getting familiar with each other. 

His hand started to inch down her abdomen and under her panties. She smiled against his lips, feeling his fingers slip between her folds and gently massage her. She moaned when he curled his middle finger, hooking it inside her. 

Owen moaned, the tip of his tongue rubbing against hers; he sucked on it, kissing her hungrily while he played with her inside her panties. 

He pulled his hand back, his finger sticky with her juices while his hand squeezed one of her breasts. Their lips still devouring each other. 

He kneeled back and started to pull her pajama pants down her legs. “You are so beautiful...” He murmured, leaning in to kiss her lips soundly. 

His strong hands caressed her warm thighs as Claire wrapped her legs around him while her hands massaged his pectorals gently. She moaned into the kiss, her fingers unable to get enough of how firm his muscles were. 

Claire sat up slowly, closing her eyes, feeling Owen’s lips down her neck and behind her ear, gently pecking her flesh. 

She let her fingers curl around the waistband of his pants and she slowly pulled them down. She kneeled in front of him and kissed him lovingly, his fingers brushing her hair, the sound of their kisses filling the room while her hand took hold of the erected shaft pointing at her. 

Claire started to pump it slowly, moaning in response to his groans. He was panting softly, feeling his cock pulsing around her fingers while she worked it up. 

Owen lied her down after he pushed his pants off his legs and shifted, spreading her legs and gently pulling her close to him. He got comfortable before he took one of her legs and started to nibble on the inside of her thigh, feeling the heat between her legs when he nuzzled against the fabric of her soaked lace panties. 

Claire lifted her hips and moaned, feeling his lips nibbling the side of her groin before he started to pull her panties off of her, tossing them to the side once they were in his hands. 

She gulped when his lips kissed her lower belly and his hands kept her legs wide open. Owen licked between her folds after admiring how glossy her pussy looked, all wet and swollen and ready for him. 

Claire whimpered and bit on her lower lip, Owen took his time while his lips sucked on her core and he made love to her with his tongue. 

She tilted her head back and rolled her hips up at the sensation of the tip of his muscle pleasing the most sensitive spot in her. 

He took his time between her legs, tasting the sweet nectar she was dripping at the mercy of his tongue thrusting in and out of her, licking her, and his lips sucking and kissing her softly.

He tried not to work her up too much, his throbbing cock begging to worship that soft pussy. 

Owen slid closer, keeping his weight on his forearms, letting his lips kiss her desperately and having her moan at the feeling of the thick head of his cock against her naked flesh. 

He bent her legs up and adjusted between them. Owen pushed her forward against the pillows and let the tip of his dick press between her folds as he leaned closer. 

He reached down and positioned it; he groaned, feeling how it went in smoothly. Owen buried its entire length inside of her and slowly started to roll his hips against hers. 

Claire moaned against his lips, tangling her feet around his back. Her hands traveled down his back while his lips brushed gently along her jawline and peppered her neck with adoration. 

“You feel so good...so warm...so tight.” Owen panted, keeping a soft gentle pace, making love to her. They both had had dreams and fantasies of many kinds about fucking each other roughly. 

Claire had been craving his cock for weeks now, and Owen had been picturing how wet the frame of his shaft could get her, how drilling her and making her scream would feel so intoxicating... but both their bodies knew they had all the time in the world to do that, and for some reason making love was what they felt like doing at the moment. 

She was now straddling him, her pelvis tightly pressed against his while she swung her hips back and forth. “I’m so deep inside of you...god.” Owen latched his mouth to one of her breasts and sucked on it softly, licking its flesh, while his hands were pushing her ass into him. 

Claire was bouncing against him, feeling half of his cock fucking her sweetly, before she adjusted and sat fully on it, feeling its whole incredible length inside her, making her moan. 

Owen started to help her with the pace, rolling his hips against hers while she rode him, making him bend his head back and groan from deep within his throat. 

Claire cried out louder, feeling how her orgasm was starting to build up. Owen assisted her, pulling her down against his chest so his own thrusts could stimulate that sensitive nub that was begging to be messed with. 

They kissed hungrily, his hands squeezing her naked ass, feeling how it created waves of pleasure down his erection. He was hard and tall, her folds rubbing him up and down while she started to tense up. 

He felt her clench and release warm liquid around him while she cried out his name. She collapsed against his chest and tried to catch her breath. 

Owen pulled back out of her, but Claire reached down and blindly repositioned him, aligning his cock with her entrance. She wanted more.

He adjusted her and rested her on her side; he spooned her and, bending her leg up, he penetrated her again. 

They started to roll their hips while he fucked her sideways; he was increasing the pace with each thrust.

Claire felt his touch unbearable, completely sensitive, crying out her moans while he panted fast. He kissed her neck and let his hand reach around for her breast. 

Owen started to growl against her ear. “I’m gonna cum...” He kept going faster while she helped him with the pace he had picked up. “God...” He moaned, fucking her until he started spurting his warm release inside of her. 

He held her tight and kept stabbing her until her own fluids started to run down his cock once again. “You are amazing...” He kissed her cheek before she looked back and kissed his lips. 

They lied on her bed completely naked for an hour or so, just smiling, feeling great about the sexual release they had just shared. Their fingers laced and played with each other while they kept kissing.

“I want to do this right...” Owen kissed her forehead a couple of times before she looked up and smiled against his lips. “I want to take you on a date, woo you all evening, kiss you goodnight, and promise to call you the next day.” He suggested.

Claire giggled and held him close, kissing his chest a couple of times. “I would love that.” She nuzzled his neck. 

“I’ve never done that. But with you, I want to do everything.” He smiled and kissed her lips lovingly. For the first time in his life, he was starting to understand his best friend and how he had dropped everything for a woman. It wasn’t just a woman, it had been for his girl, and Owen was ready to give everything to his, to that gorgeous redhead in his arms. 

Just like many times before — either by accident, because they were messing with each other, or because they had vomit all over them — Claire found herself slowly pushing the glass shower door open. No snarky comment welcomed her. Instead, Owen offered his hand to help her step into the shower with him. 

She chuckled when he pulled her closer and hugged her against his body, bringing her under the water so she could catch up. He grinned against her lips before kissing them lovingly. 

Claire grabbed her soap bar and gently started to massage his six pack. “You are so sexy...” She moaned gently, nibbling on his chin, her fingers playing through his chest hair. She made sure to leave every inch of his body from the waist up covered in soap. 

Owen chuckled and started to walk around while trying to take the soap bar away from her. Once in his power, he mirrored her actions and gently started to wash her abdomen. He brought her against the tile wall, getting distracted once his big hands were cupping her naked breasts. 

He kissed her deeply, their tongues dancing with each other while his hands massaged her breasts. Claire moaned when he pulled her up from her ass and pinned her against the wall, making her wrap her legs around his waist. 

Now that they both were in cozy pajamas, they found themselves on the couch. Claire was giggling while trying to keep the remote away from him. She was siting cross-legged with her back against the arm rest, his frame keeping her trapped, trying to reach out but still making sure he didn’t hurt her. 

Claire sat on it and shrugged. Owen offered a mischievous smile, and without hesitation he slipped his hand between her legs, making her scream and start hitting him with the cushion. 

“Ha!” Owen fetched the remote in victory. “You’ll have to find a better technique now, gorgeous.” He pecked her pouting lips a couple of times. She always did that when she wanted to watch something and didn’t want him to steal the remote, and it had always successfully kept him from going after it, until now. 

He pointed the remote at the television, ready to change channel. She had put on one of those documentaries on, about some Chinese dude which he was not in the mood to watch. He was still dealing with his hangover, even though Claire and her kisses had helped him keep himself distracted from the symptoms. Owen eyed her from the corner of his eye and watched her adjust on her end of the couch, waiting for him to change the channel and put a stupid offensive cartoon instead.

Owen, much to her surprise, only turned the volume up a little bit and set he control remote on the coffee table. Claire squealed and, hugging his face, she kissed his cheek. 

She nuzzled close to him, resting her legs across his lap, feeling his hands brushing the inside of her thigh up and down while they watched her documentary together. 

After about forty-five minutes, neither of them was paying attention to it. He was playing with her hair and placing soft kisses on the top of her head while he felt her finger curious, following the font of his tattoo with her digit. Claire sighed softly and looked up, feeling his lips on her nose. 

“Claire Bear, huh?” She blushed. 

Owen nodded, “I’ve been calling you that for months now.” He confessed. 

The redhead shook her head. “Lies...you have never called me like that before.”

“You didn’t let me finish.” He teased, “I’ve been calling you that for months...behind your back.” 

She nodded, guiding his arm to hold her close, “why?” She murmured, her eyes fixed on his.

“Because...I guess that would have—…because I’m an idiot.” He chuckled.

“Tell me something I don’t know.” She flirted softly, pushing his hair to the side and letting her finger pads feel the small wounds he still had in his face from the previous night.

Owen gulped, “Seeing you leave with that guy felt like my world was crumbling down.” He shrugged softly, with a small pout and a frown. 

Claire ran her hand around his neck and nuzzled close. “You won’t see me leave with any guy again.” She promised, her eyes looking up and meeting with his as she gulped softly. “I’m with you now, right?” 

Owen nodded softly, brushing his lips against hers before smiling against them. “You are mine now.” He corrected her with a murmur, before kissing her lips gently and lovingly.  “Mine.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shoutout to my editor in chief who also helped me map out their itinerary since I have never been to NY lol. You are the best <3

“Babe?” Claire called out from her room. She was pulling a top over her head after changing her mind on what outfit to wear that morning. “Can you get that? I’m still getting ready!” She asked. 

They were going on their first date just like Owen had promised her. He wanted to make sure she knew his intentions and she loved every moment. He was truly taking the relationship blooming between them seriously, and Claire couldn’t find a way to calm the butterflies flapping in her tummy at his every gesture. 

“Owen?” She called again while she put a lace top on to go with her black medium rise skinny jeans. The redhead ran her fingers through her long hair, and still barefoot, walked to the door to answer herself. 

Owen was smiling wide, holding a dozen roses in one hand. “Am I early?” He used his free hand to hug her waist and pull her to him gently. She shook her head and, closing her eyes, she felt his lips tenderly kissing hers. 

“No...I’m just trying to look perfect for you.” She blushed, explaining why she was still not ready. 

“You always do.” He assured her, his hazel eyes unable to stop looking at her with adoration. 

“Stop it~” She giggled, and hugging his neck she kissed him softly. She couldn’t believe he had taken his proposition literally and had picked her up at their home. 

“Never. I’m never stopping.” He smiled, brushing his hand against her cheek feeling her tilt towards his touch. 

“Do you want to come in?” She offered playfully. “I’ll take me about five minutes to get ready.” She promised. 

“Is your roommate going to be nice to me? I don’t want to cause any unnecessary tension.” He chuckled lightly. 

She smiled and shook her head, her fingers pulling him down from his shirt. She was on her toes leaning up to kiss him, their height difference very evident now that she didn’t have her heels on. 

Once they had come inside, Owen went to the kitchen to put her roses in a vase and set it on the living room table. 

Just like promised, it took her five minutes to put a khaki longline cardigan on and fetched her black tote bag. She slipped her feet in a pair of ankle strap platform high heel sandals and retouched her lipstick, before fixing her hair over her shoulders. 

She immediately took Owen’s breath away. He stood up from the couch where he was waiting for her, and hugging her waist, he pecked her lips lovingly. 

“You look gorgeous...but...I can’t let you go to our date wearing those heels.” He wrinkled his nose.

Claire tilted her head and fixed her green eyes on him. 

“I want to make a good impression and I’d be a jerk if I didn’t care for your beautiful feet.” 

Claire narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. “See, this is why I asked you about our date, so I could dress properly and not make you wait and waste time.” She poked his nose a couple of times. 

“New York is not going anywhere, Claire Bear, and I already waited months for you to be mine. l have you now, so I’ll wait hours if I have to.” He assured her. 

“Can you repeat that please? I need to have it on a voice note for future reference.” She teased him before pecking his lips a couple of times, and headed back to change. 

Owen knew Claire barely went out and since she had moved to New York, she had just gone to the boring museum a few blocks from their home in the Upper West Side of the city. He wanted her to see the city, the outdoors part of it — not a single nerd activity was on his radar for that day out with her. 

From home, they held hands to Central Park West. Claire had no idea what he had planned for their date since he kept insisting it was a surprise, but a long walk through nature was definitely her kind of thing. 

It didn’t take long for him to feel her lips on his cheek, letting him know she was loving this. Of course it wasn’t a proper tour around the city if you didn’t eat at every food cart that came across your way. 

Owen got them a small bag of seeds and a bottled water so they could share while they took a moment on a bench. He had insisted they were in a desperate need of a make out session and Claire had agreed.

She was very generous with the way she was kissing him, tasting his lips lovingly while he wrapped his arm around her neck and held her tight. She smiled, and taking a peanut, she fed it to him. 

A friendly squirrel sniffed close by. It was this beautiful shade of reddish grey and had the fluffiest tail. Claire smiled, watching how its whiskers got curious close to Owen’s fingers. 

“Are you hungry?” The redhead reached out into their bag of seeds and grabbed one of the many raisins the two of them were avoiding — they were pasty and all together disgusting to chew — and she gently let the little rodent sniff it before the squirrel reached out with its two little arms and took it from Claire. It pushed it all into her mouth and ran off. 

Of course its squirrel friends noticed they were the good kind of people who fed them and in seconds they had about five around them; three adults and two babies got closer while staying on the back rest of their park bench. 

Claire giggled and happily gave each squirrel one raisin, it wasn’t like they were going to eat them after all. 

“I want one...” Claire nuzzled into Owen’s neck and smiled softly at him. “They are as cute as you...maybe cuter.” She teased him. 

“Almost.” He corrected him. “I’m definitely cutter and fluffier.” 

Claire giggled, “I promise I’ll feed it and bath it and take it out for walks.” She pouted, almost like a kid begging mom to let her get a puppy. 

“Which one do you want, babe?” He kissed the top of her head, noticing how her eyes looked up, almost questioning if he was being honest or playing along. He nodded, “You pick one and I’ll steal it for you.” 

“Don’t tease...” She smiled, nibbling on her lower lip. 

“I’m not. You tell me what you want, and I’ll do everything I can to give it to you.” He genuinely promised. 

Claire squealed and kissed him contently. “I’ll keep that in mind, mister.” She took his hand and kept walking down the park with him. 

They had a long day ahead of them, but Owen made sure they didn’t leave the park behind them before feeding some pigeons too, as well as having one of those street caricaturists draw them, and also take her for a romantic sail on a rowboat at the Loeb Boathouse. 

“C’mon, babe. Gotta catch that B train now.” He reminded her while she fed the rest of their seeds to the squirrels nearby. 

Claire looked up and nodded, intertwining their fingers and walking to the station with him.

“And maybe if the date goes well, you can get on the D train tonight.” He wiggled his eyebrows. She rolled her eyes before offering him a smirk and pursed her lips. “Yeah?” He grinned.

She nodded, flirting with him, watching him fist bump. “Dork.” She teased before kissing his cheek lovingly. 

From there, the couple took the B train to the Bronx. It was when they were standing in front of the Yankees Stadium and Owen was getting them some tickets that Claire grew confused. 

“You know, this is going to take most of the day. I could live in perfect harmony even if we missed this.” She started pulling at his shirt. 

“I promise you I’ll take you to see the Mets one day and that’s what I’m doing.” He paid for their tickets and wrapped his arm around her neck, possessively pulling her close. Every men walking into the stadium with them didn’t miss her and casually checked her out so he was making sure they knew he was the lucky one banging her.

“No. I asked if we could go to the MET.” She frowned. “I don’t even know what the Mets are...” She followed him to the gift shop where he got them a pair of foam fingers and glasses. 

He put them on her and kissed her. “Why would I take you to the MET? The point was to have fun!” He rolled his eyes while they went looking for their seats. It was a low radar game and so the stadium only had true hard fans in it, plus the tickets were cheap. 

“And watching some guys spit onto the ground and hit a ball with a stick is fun!?” She whinnied. 

“Babe...” Owen laughed since she had clearly not found his joke funny.

“No...” She slid a few seats away from him. 

“It was a joke! I thought it was funny!” He promised. 

Claire narrowed her eyes and looked around. She found a very athletic handsome man sitting a couple of rows back from theirs and pursed her lips, making sure Owen followed her every move while she move through the empty rows up to that guy. 

He was slightly bigger than Owen, he was wearing a grey tank top, his biceps completely intimidating, and a pair of blue shorts displaying his large muscled legs.

Claire slowly ran her hand down his bicep and smiled at him. The man turned to look at her and grinned liking what he saw; after all the redhead was a very attractive woman and she knew how to be subtly sexy. 

“Would you ditch the game to spend the rest of the morning at the Metropolitan Museum of Art with me?” She wondered, her arm hooked to his bicep by now. 

Owen watching her trying to find the balls to face this guy who could clearly snap his neck between his thighs. 

“Anything for you gorgeous. I’ll go to the Swan Lake ballet with you.” He chuckled, his blue eyes taking in every curve of her body while he licked his lips. 

Claire smiled before she found her boyfriend clearing his throat facing them from the row seat bellow. Her green eyes moved their attention to Owen and so did the man’s blue ones.

Owen gulped and a second later puffed his chest out. “That’s my girlfriend..may I...may I please have her back?” He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his head. 

The man laughed at how intimidated Owen looked in front of him. He turned to look at Claire, who had her eyes on Owen. “Once I’m done with her and I ruin her for you.” He laughed. 

“Owen!” Claire managed to intersect him before he jumped onto that guy who clearly could kill him. 

She turned him around and led him back to their seats. For their luck, the game was starting and the guy wasn’t interested is missing the intro for a pair of wussies. 

“What’s with the suicidal mission back there?” She chuckled, still feeling her heart pounding fast. “You spending our first date with a black eye is unacceptable, babe.” She kissed him. 

“I would have killed him.” He was fuming, no one disrespected her like that. “Or get killed trying.” He added. 

Claire hugged his arm gently and nuzzled against his cheek before letting her lips run down his neck, “I’m sorry... this was a worse joke than coming here.” She frowned. 

Owen nodded. “I’m not going to any boring museum anytime soon, but maybe we can go to the theater for a second date?” He smiled softly. 

“A second date, Grady?” She smiled flirting. “You are really serious about this.” She teased. 

“You have no idea.” He nodded kissing her gently. 

It didn’t take long for Claire to get into the spirit of the aficionados and the couple soon started to participate in the cheers. She learned them fast and even found them funny, this was for sure a first time experience for her, and even if she would still rather be at the MET, this wasn’t as bad. The couple had also made acquaintance with the crowd around them. 

Their peer pressure had also gotten her to eating everything Owen kept buying from the snack guy; from popcorn to barbecue chicken nachos and fried chicken on a stick.  

It was during halftime when Owen let his fingers start French braiding Claire’s hair. He had divided it in two and was working in one side first. She was nibbling on her lower lip loving the way his fingers felt through her hair. He was always doing this and she quietly wished it would never stop. 

It was the redhead who noticed the kiss cam on them, since Owen had his full attention in that soft hair he liked to play with. Claire leaned against his chest, “babe?” She pointed out at the screens. 

Owen looked up and smiled. It was time to let the world know that gorgeous woman was his, not to mention he had probably already melted many hearts by being caught braiding his girlfriend’s hair at a baseball match. 

He kissed her cheek lovingly from behind and brushing his fingers down her cheek, he tilted her head and kissed her lovingly. All their new buddies started to whistle while he pressed a couple of pecks before the camera panned on another couple. 

Claire giggled and watched him go back to braiding her hair. They decided to leave after a while. Those games were long and Owen still had the whole city to walk hand in hand with her. 

The couple said goodbye to their new friends and managed to get on the 4 train and get to the Brooklyn Bridge. It was on the train that Owen found their kiss cam video and screen recorded it onto his iPhone so he could watch it as many times as he wanted. 

They were walking through the pedestrian part of the bridge holding hands and sporadically kissing. Claire had noticed there were some NYPD police officers with three-wheeled karts every few meters and that had her curious. She had also noticed the lateral fences were covered in Sharpie writings and some locks. 

It was when she reached close to read a couple of them that she saw one of the police officers looking straight at her; she immediately let go of the locks and went back to Owen. 

The police officer pointed out at a sign reading that the fine for leaving a lock around the fence was of a hundred dollars. She frowned and gently took Owen’s hand. He casually started feeling into his pocket, and smiled at her before leaving a kiss on her temple. 

He took a small lock from his pocket as well as a thin Sharpie and smiled mischievously at her. 

“Babe~” She nibbled on her lower lip and tilted her head. She was always one to go by the rules. 

“It’s not like they will see us!” He murmured. “They are busy being the typical stereotype and enjoying their donuts and coffee while watching the landscape.” He rolled his eyes.

“And if they do?” She wondered. 

“We run.” He shrugged. He wrote _Locked_ _in_ on one side of their lock. She smiled and they locked eyes for a second. “Because I’m all in.” He promised her. 

“Me too.” She’s nodded softly, feeling butterflies flapping in her stomach. They kissed gently and then he turned the lock around. He wrote her nickname then handed her the lock so she could write the nickname she had for him on her handwriting,  _Claire_ _Bear_ _+_ _Gradybug_ is what the front of the lock read. 

“Gradybug?” He curved an eyebrow, she had so many nicknames for him aside from his official one, most of them depended on her mood, but that one was new. 

“You are still my bad boy~” She hummed, hugging his neck and moaning into a slowly sexy kiss. “But the musicality with Gradybug is better.” She shrugged. 

She really thought about everything and he couldn’t mock her for that. “You are too cute.” He pressed his forehead against hers and kissed her nose. 

Owen then took her hand and they casually walked to the railing and he tried to find a good spot for their love lock. 

He clipped it in and smiled proud. “Shit!” Owen noticed one of the police officers had caught him and was walking their way. 

Owen didn’t lose a second and lifted his girlfriend over his shoulders. He piggybacked her through the bridge. He started running back from the way they had come from. Taking advantage of the people walking the opposite direction and the officers having to turn their goofy-looking kart around. 

Claire was screaming while holding tight onto him, feeling his arms hooked around her legs while he ran as fast as he could and eventually lost the police officers. 

Once at their station, Owen tried to catch his breath while they waited for the 5 train to get to Bowling Green so they could walk to South Ferry and board the ferry to Liberty Island and get the required tour to The Statue of Liberty. 

From there they came back wearing a Liberty crown each and a couple of pins in their shirts. The ferry back to their station was nothing but a long make out session against the railing. It was evident to the people around them how much they simply adored each other. 

They got on the 5 train back uptown and switched to 6 at the Brooklyn Bridge stop. That local train took them to the city, where they would be spending the rest of their date just walking around and enjoying each other’s company. 

They got off on 33rd street and walked down the 5th Avenue straight up to the Empire State Building. It wasn’t until their tour up the monumental building was over that they finally stopped for some lunch. 

Claire had already eaten more than she did in a week, but all that walking had her starving. However, she wasn’t hungry enough to eat one of the street hotdogs Owen was rubbing his hands at while waiting for the guy to prepare. 

He had asked for three with everything and two sodas. 

“Baby...please no...” She begged. Claire didn’t trust the hygiene of those carts for starters, not to mention that the whole dish wasn’t really of her liking. 

“Just one...” He begged pecking her lips softly. “And we can go shopping, take all the time you want.” He smiled, they were on 5th Avenue after all, and he knew she’d probably want to look around. 

Claire sighed and looked around. She had seen some outfits displayed at the windows as they walked around that she had loved, so that didn’t sound like a bad deal.

“Huh...huh...?” He nudged her making her smile and nod in agreement. “Thank you, Claire Bear.” He held two of the hotdogs and she held hers. 

“Oops sorry!” A young boy with the cutest freckles sprinkled across his nose and a cheerful blonde girl apologized to the couple after bumping into them on their way to the hotdog cart. 

Claire looked back and smiled at how energetic they seemed to be while placing their order. It didn’t take long for both adults to laugh at how it took those kids five seconds to make a mess with the condiment sauces all over the cart. 

“So where do we sit?” Claire asked Owen innocently once she noticed there were no tables or chairs around for them to enjoy their meal.

After keeping his promise and letting his beautiful girlfriend shop around fifth avenue for a while they started walking down to their next stop. 

Claire was holding a small Victoria’s Secret bag among others, but that one in specific had Owen desperate. He kept begging, as they walked, to have a peek. He was bummed that she hadn’t modeled for him any of the stuff she had tried at the store, and he felt he deserved that. He had earned it. 

“No babe...it’s your surprise for tonight.” She promised, feeling him pressing her body against his while they kissed. 

He whined. 

“It’s my outfit for when it’s time for me to ride the D train.” She used his joke from earlier that morning. “And its engine better go full motion...” She groaned while nibbling on his chin. 

Owen growled from deep his throat at the anticipation. “It’s gonna be the highlight of our date, I promise.” He chuckled. 

He helped her with some of the bags and intertwined their fingers while they kept walking up the fifth avenue until reaching their destination.

“You couldn’t take me to one museum but you bring me to church.” Claire sighed. She did appreciate the architecture of the famous St Patrick’s Cathedral, but still didn’t think Owen would include it in his nerds-free tour around New York City. 

“I thought you might want to see it, in case you want to get married here.” He smiled softly. 

Claire blushed and nibbled on her lips. “I didn’t know you were catholic.” She offered in return.

Owen smiled brightly but scratched the side of his nose so she couldn’t see. “I’m not, but I’ll marry the love of my life anywhere as long as that means I’m making her dream wedding come true.” 

She giggled and tried to keep the blushing in check. “You would be what makes that dream wedding a reality, not the place.” She offered before making eye contact with him. 

He found a way to wrap his arm around her waist while carrying her bags and kissed her lovingly, the smack sound their lips were producing getting lost among the sound of the dozens of tourists around them.

It was when they found themselves in Time Square that Owen went crazy with the souvenirs. It was starting to get cold, so he took that as an excuse to get her an “I heart NY” hoodie, and he got one for himself too. Owen also got her a pen and a notepad, not to mention like three different keychains and even a snow globe. 

Owen wanted to catch the sunset at the Top of The Rock, so they rushed through Radio City Music Hall on their way to the building. 

Once at the top of one of the best views of the city — if not the best — they set their bags against the fence and just waited for the sun to set. 

Owen was holding her from behind, letting her admire the city while both their hands laced fingers and played together. He kept kissing her cheek, watching her smile. 

He was convinced that she was simply perfect, it didn’t matter from which angle he got to admire her breathtaking beauty, everything about her was perfect. 

He nuzzled her neck and smiled happily. “Did you have fun today?” He asked, slowly stepping next to her, feeling how she wrapped her arms around his waist and kept him close. 

“It was the best date ever.” She nodded. “I don’t see how you will top this on our second one.” She smiled, recalling he said they could go to Broadway and catch a musical of her liking. 

“I’ll try my best.” He chuckled kissing her lips gently. “And if it doesn’t, then I’ll still have a third one and fourth one and a lifetime.” He was blunt, but he truly knew he just needed to spend the rest of his life with her. 

Claire smiled lovingly. “Sounds like a plan.” She nodded. She didn’t even feel like he was rushing into anything by telling her how he felt about them; after all, they knew each other pretty well. There’s a saying about how you don’t truly know someone until you live with them, and they had been doing that for months. 

He gulped and nodded, letting his fingers brush down her cheek. 

“You are cold...” She giggled, taking his hand in hers and bringing it to her lips to kiss it softly. 

Owen let his hazel eyes drop on her penetrating green ones and just got lost in them for a few seconds. 

“I love you...” He confessed. He had realized he loved her the moment she had walked out of the apartment with that other guy and he simply couldn’t keep it in anymore. He had been fighting to say the words, afraid it might be too soon, after all they were on their first date.

Claire smiled lovingly, and hugging his neck, she kissed him gently, letting their tongues brush against each other. She could feel and hear his heart pounding fast, so she pulled back to reassure him. “I love you too...” She murmured, her fingers brushing his nape, feeling his smile against her lips before he lifted her up, making her bend her legs up into a romantic kiss against the orange sky. 

Back home, they dumped all their bags onto the kitchen counter. Claire smiled sweetly and took his hand. She still had the Victoria’s Secret little bag in her other hand. 

In anticipation of his little make-believe of picking her up and dropping her back home, the redhead had left the door to her bedroom closed. 

“I had a great time today.” She giggled, brushing her fingers down his chest. 

“I’m glad, gorgeous.” He smiled and kissed her lovingly. 

“Do you want to come in?” She flirted, letting her lips still brush against his before kissing him again. 

At his nod, they started to step towards her room door, their lips kissing soundly, until she opened the door and once they were inside, Owen pushed it close with his foot. 

Once Claire had changed into the two-piece black baby doll lingerie she had gotten that afternoon at Victoria’s Secret, Owen met her by the bed. 

The style of the lace panties highlighted the curve of her butt perfectly. He found it impossible of resist and found himself kneeled on the floor by her side. He had gotten naked while she changed. 

His large hands ran softly down the creamy skin of her legs while he passionately kissed her meaty butt cheek, nibbling at it gently while his other hand squeezed her other one. 

Claire smiled, liking the way he adored ever curve in her body. This was his night and she wanted him to get his way with her. 

After letting his teeth have a taste of that perfect booty, he took her to her bed and lay her there gently. 

He now took his time with her breasts. Owen slowly pulled on the little knot keeping the front of her lace babydoll tied and watched it come completely undone, revealing that pair of breasts he adored so much.

His lips were hungry but tender around them. He let his teeth nibble on her nipples before sucking on them slowly. The feeling of his rough tongue licking her breast made her moan. 

Claire bit on her lower lip, her fingers brushing down the back of his head while he let his mouth taste every inch of her breasts. He paid equal attention to both of them, never picking a favorite.

Owen slowly brushed his lips up her throat and nibbled on her chin, before meeting her own pair of lips. They kissed passionately for a few seconds, their tongues dancing together. 

The redhead moaned, feeling how his hard-on was pressing against her thigh while he adjusted on top of her. Owen took both her hands and pinned them over her head while kissing the side of her neck and nibbling on it, peppering it passionately. 

He loved her and was letting his lips plant the adoration he felt for her on every inch of her body. 

He kneeled down and smiled at her, their eyes linked while his fingers started to pull those sexy panties down her legs. He tossed them to the side and let his strong hands caress her creamy legs up and down. 

Claire’s eyes fell on the throbbing cock between his legs before she smiled mischievously. Owen chuckled, and with one swing, he lifted her legs up. 

She bent her knees up and rested her feet on his naked chest, her toes brushing his pectorals. Owen reached out for his dick, and in one thrust, he penetrated her. 

Claire arched her back, moaning loudly. She was already dripping wet for him and he went in smoothly. He started rolling his hips back and forth, fucking her at the pace that he pleased. 

He knew they had all night so he slowly increased the pace, her hips helping him following the rhythm he had settled on. 

After fifteen minutes, he was completely on top of her, keeping her legs spread open and bent up while he fucked her with no mercy. 

He was panting against her lips, and Claire could barely breathe with all the moans being released from deep down her throat. 

Owen kissed her sweetly and nuzzled her cheek before pressing his lips against her sweaty forehead. 

He pulled out, Claire breathing deeply, trying to control her pounding heart from beating out of her chest. 

Owen turned her around and took his time. He pumped his desperate cock a few times and let his fingers massage her pussy from behind to keep her warm and eager. His lips started leaving kisses down her spine until he reached her lower back. He used both his firm hands to cup her naked butt cheeks. 

Claire slowly rolled her ass up and cried when he aligned his cockhead with her entrance and started rolling it up and down her folds, teasing her until she started begging for him to stop playing and just fuck her. 

Her fingers gripped tight onto her sheets, feeling how abruptly and roughly he pushed into her and started moving back and forth. 

He rested her flat on her belly and lied on top of her, fucking her like that, while his nose got lost between her long red hair, taking in that intoxicating scent he couldn’t get enough of.

He brought her to the edge once he had her on all fours and kept her steady from her waist. His cock trusted in and out of her pussy with all the speed he could coordinate with the index finger he had rubbing against her clit.

Claire was begging loudly, sure their neighbors could tell she was getting the best fuck of her life while they were trying to sleep.

She was incredibly dripping, to the extent that his dick slipped out of her pussy when he started to let go and fill her with his seed while still thrusting into her with all he got. 

He pushed harder, and hugging her while kneeled behind her, he managed to let her ride her orgasm beyond what her body could handle, watching her collapse against the mattress. 

Claire giggled when he adjusted in bed next to her, his fingers playing gently with her hair, brushing it off her blushed, sweaty face. They kissed a couple of times. 

Owen wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close so she could rest against his chest. 

“Do you want to spend the night?” She asked lovingly. They had already slept in each other’s arms before while one of them was drunk so this was different. 

He smiled happily before brushing his nose against hers. “I’d love to.” 

Claire smiled lovingly and nosed into the crook of his neck, where she was thinking on spending the night, while his embrace kept her warm.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoutout to my editor in chief <3

“...And please, _please_ be in your best behavior.” Claire begged Owen while tugging lightly at his shirt. “I know it’s gonna be hard, and I promise I’ll make it up to you...but no PDA in front of her.” She pleaded. 

Owen’s hazel eyes were adoringly resting on hers as he nodded. “I’ll join a bible study and tell her I’m getting ready to be a priest or something.” He joked.

Claire smiled and nibbled on her lips. “That won’t fly with Eleanor, but you better think of something please. Dad might like you, but that’s because he doesn’t know about the naughty things you do to his daughter.” She grinned, pecking his lips a couple of times. 

Owen snorted, “Your dad loves me, okay? He sent me all this cool stuff the other day and we talk over the phone more often than you two do.” He grinned proudly.

“Yeah...Yeah...you are the son he never had.” Claire rolled her eyes. “But mom has never been too enthusiastic about me living with a guy.” 

“Of course, boys only ever try to get their way with you and conquer you. Crazy!” He teased about how Eleanor’s concerns had all come true, and now her daughter was having a very active sex life with her roommate. 

Claire giggled and kissed him lovingly and soundly one last time, knowing it would be very hard for them to find a moment to be together with her mom staying over. The only good thing Claire saw about her mom visiting was that she would finally be able to go to those museums Owen had refused to take her to a couple of months ago for their first date.

Owen gently wrapped his arms around her waist and enjoyed the moment. “First your business trip last week and now this? Your bill is growing, Miss.” he teased her about how much lost time she owed him. 

“Okay, that’s her.” Claire frowned, hearing the light knock at the door. “You hid all your porn, right?” She double checked one last time. 

“It’s all at Barry’s.” He nodded about giving it to his buddy from work to keep safe, away from Eleanor. 

“Okay.” Claire sighed. “I love you. I’ll miss you.” She kissed him a couple of times before she went to open the door for her mother who was visiting and staying a week with her. 

“Babe?” She turned to look one last time and motioned for Owen to cover the tattoo he had across his bicep. He cleared his throat and slid the leather jacket he had at his reach over the tank top he was wearing. 

“Hi mom!” Claire greeted her, going for a hug.

“Don’t. I smell like airplane.” The woman coldly stopped her.

“How was your flight?” She smiled. “Do you need help with your bags?” She looked down at the luggage the woman had at her feet. 

Eleanor Dearing was the definition of elegance. She was wearing a tweed grey skirt suit and a cream silk top under the jacket. She was very independent and so had refused for her daughter to pick her up at the airport, she had carried her own luggage all the way to Claire’s front door too. 

“I’m not physically challenged.” She brushed off the help offer and carried her two large suitcases into the apartment herself. 

“Mom, this my roommate, Owen.” Claire introduced her to the handsome man wearing a pair of grey sweatpants and jacket. “This is my mom, Eleanor.” She added, smiling lightly.

“Owen Grady, I’m gay.” He blurted out, unable to come up with anything else. That woman had already intimidated him the second he’d seen her. Claire stood behind her mother, eyes wide, questioning his decision, but the damage was done. 

“I thought your kind had great sense of fashion.” She dissed his choice of wardrobe; that leather jacket indoors looked ridiculous, not to mention the rest of his lazy outfit.

“This is very fashionable in Asia.” Owen dramatically brought a hand to his chest, “K-pop is gaining popularity.” He offered. 

“Whatever floats your boat, young man.” The woman was not interested in his fashion sense and kink for Korean men. 

“Owen, mom. His name is Owen.” Claire rolled her eyes. 

“So, I believe you said I could stay in your room?” Eleanor started walking into the place, not waiting them to offer to guide her to the bedroom. 

“Yeah.” Claire sighed and walked her to her room. She had changed the sheets that morning and had made sure everything was even more impeccable than usual. 

The woman’s piercing eyes started to scan the place and she nodded, before she walked in and set her luggage by the closet. 

“I made you some space in the wardrobe and closet.” Claire smiled, “And you can use my desk for your make up and all that.” She added. 

“Where will you be sleeping, Claire?” Eleanor wondered, “I certainly don’t find it proper for a young woman to sleep on the couch like she’s some bum crashing over at a friend’s house.” 

“No I...I wasn’t thinking of staying on the couch.” Claire bit her tongue, “But don’t worry about me...just get comfortable and of course make yourself at home.” She nodded and slowly turned around. 

“I’m not allowing you to share a bed with Owen.” She offered condescendingly, “I don’t care how queer he is. It’s not appropriate.” She made a discomfort face. “I don’t understand what your father and him can have in common.” She was confused. 

“Owen is a very masculine guy.” Claire gulped. “Anyways, do you want something to eat? Or some tea?” 

“I think I’ll take a nap.” Eleanor started to inspect the pillows, making sure they were comfortable. 

Claire stepped in and closed the blinds for her. “Alright. I’ll be out there if you need anything. Maybe after you’ve rested we can go out for dinner?” She offered. 

“Please, no street hotdogs or whatever it is that roomie of yours feeds you around here.” The woman took her shoes off and got comfortable on one side of the bed, resting on her back. 

“Of course not. I don’t even like those, mom.” Claire rolled her eyes before quietly closing the door behind her. 

Owen was in the kitchen getting a beer, when his eyes immediately fell on the redhead. He opened his drink and took a couple of sips before feeling her arms around him; he pressed a kiss to her temple. 

“How’s your first impression of me in thirty years?” Claire teased him before kissing his lips a couple of times. 

“I don’t know, would you let me listen to my BTS?” He raised his eyebrows.

“What’s that?” Claire giggled nuzzling close.

“It’s the South Korean BSB.” He explained and showed her his cellphone: he was doing some research.

“Babe, you don’t have to go this far.” She was moved by his effort. “Do you want to watch a movie? Sit on different sides of the couch...stay away from each other no matter how bad we want to be all over each other?” She offered.

“Sure why not, for old times’ sake.” He kissed her lips and headed to the living room with her. 

Claire was sitting across the couch, her back resting against the armrest. Eleanor was still recovering from her coast to coast flight while the couple watched a movie; they kept the volume down not to disturb her. 

Claire was giggling while teasing Owen with her toes. He was sitting straight on the cushion next to hers, her feet keeping him distracted while she insisted on massaging his bulge and feel his balls with her naked little toes.

“Stop it.” He chuckled and took her foot in his hand. 

“I want you so bad.” She sighed, nibbling on her lower lip at her confession. 

He smiled and nibbled playfully at her toes before shifting a little so he could face her. He kept nuzzling and massaging her foot for a couple of seconds. 

Claire looked behind her to double check if there wasn’t any noise coming from her bedroom and Owen shook his head: he had half his attention on that door. 

He slowly ran his fingers up her legs under the knee-length skirt she was wearing that day.  Claire twitched, the way his rough fingers pads felt against the creamy skin of her thighs always turned her on.

Owen chuckled mischievously, feeling his touch getting carried away. “No, honey! The shaving gel you are using is totally wrong for your skin.” 

“Huh?” Claire frowned, completely confused, until she followed Owen’s eyes and found her mom behind them. 

“He is into Korean men, Rob.” Eleanor was on the phone so Owen had gotten away with the whole thing.

“He didn’t sound gay to me at all. He likes football and beer, for god’s sake.” The man was incredulous on the other end of the call. 

“Have you ever considered waxing? My ex has this salon and he would leave your legs looking AMAZING. Gosh, I can call him for you if you’d like.” Owen casually pulled his hands away. 

“His ex works at a waxing salon.” Eleanor murmured into the phone before hanging up on her husband. 

“Hey, mom...how was your nap?” Claire smiled softly. 

“Your dad says hi.” She looked down at Owen, who had changed into a long sleeved shirt after her arrival. “He asked if you got those fine Brewski things he sent you.” She fixed her top, before clearing her throat. 

“Yes. Thank you.” Owen frowned. The man had sent him this vintage kit box for beer drinkers a couple of weeks ago. “I love everything vintage.” He smiled. 

Eleanor nodded, “Me too. I’m relieved to see there’s at least something tasteful about you.” 

Claire offered Owen an apologetic look but he smiled softly at her. “Maybe I can take you antiquing tomorrow while Claire is at work? I have Mondays off work.” He offered.

The woman’s expression changed completely. “I would love to. I’ve been looking for a specific lamp for our living room, maybe I can find something I like there.” 

“I know a couple of stores we can check, all of them authentic of course.” He nodded.

“Thank you, Owen.” She smiled. 

“Anything for Claire Bear.” He said with genuine affection, finding green eyes looking at him lovingly. 

The woman slowly turned around and headed to the kitchen so she could get herself a glass of water.

“You are going to spend all Monday pretending to be gay?” Claire whispered.

Owen shook his head, “I’m pretending to be gay all week.” He corrected her. “But I love you.” He shrugged. 

 

* * *

 

Claire moaned softly, feeling Owen sliding into his bed with her and wrapping his arms around her frame. He had waited until Eleanor had turned off the nightstand light in Claire’s room to move from the couch to his bedroom. He didn’t mind sleeping there, but he was missing his girlfriend and wanted to be with her.

“You really didn’t think you would spend your first night in my room without me, did you?” He kissed her cheek while spooning her. 

Claire rolled over so she could face him and smiled lightly. “I still can’t believe you changed your mattress and got new sheets.” She let her eyes fall on his with adoration, her fingers brushing his hair back.

Ever since getting together, they had always spent the night in her room and had had sex everywhere in the apartment but his bedroom. It was when she’d had to leave for a week on a business trip that Owen had changed his mattress and gotten rid of the old one. He had his purpose and his reasoning behind it, one Claire found incredibly moving. 

“You are my person. The one.” He whispered, caressing her cheek lovingly. “I didn’t want to be with you on a dirty mattress where everything I did was meaningless. You are too pure for that and I love you too much to let you lie in the same place as many crappy one night stands.” 

“I love you...” She smiled and kissed him a couple of times before they adjusted and got comfortable in each other’s arms. 

“No one else but you is sleeping in this bed with me.” He added, rather serious about the whole concept. 

Claire smiled and nuzzled close. “Because you are mine...” 

“Only yours.” Owen nodded, kissing her nose before he let her drift back to sleep in his arms. 

He had set up an alarm to be up at five in the morning, having learned from Claire that her mom was an early riser. That way he could go back to the couch and pretend he had spent the whole night sleeping there and not in his bedroom with his girlfriend. 

Claire whined, not wanting to leave his arms. “You are so cuddly, don’t go.” She pouted.

“But your mom...you’ll never hear the end of it.” Owen kissed her forehead a couple of times. 

“Then I’ll block her on my phone and never visit my family again.” She shrugged: case closed.

“I’m going to blow her mind while antique shopping today and that would be two out of two parents that approve of our living arrangements and we can be free.”

Claire smiled faintly, knowing it wasn’t that easy. “Any other guy wouldn’t put up with this.” She frowned. “Remember how ugly it got when they first found out I was living with a male?” She laughed. 

“I’m not scared of them, but I do know it means a lot to you to have them in harmony with us.” He shrugged. “And I’ll win them over, I promise.” 

Claire nodded and closed her eyes, feeling him kissing her gently a couple of times before he got out of bed and headed back to his couch. 

He managed to go back to sleep, five in the morning was way too early for him. He had also calculated time accurately, since about an hour later, Eleanor was stepping out of Claire’s room. 

“Good morning, Owen. I hope you are decent. I’m heading to the kitchen for some coffee.” She called out a few feet away from the couch.

“Good morning.” He answered sleepily. “Yes, I’m always decent. I wouldn’t want to make Claire uncomfortable or disrespect her in any way.” He assured her.

The woman nodded. “Alright then.” 

Owen pulled the long sleeves of his shirts down to cover that tattoo and, scratching the back of his head, he walked towards the kitchen. The microwave clock read it wasn’t even 6:30AM yet: he wanted to die.

He managed to set the coffee maker for his mother-in-law and quietly prepared her the best cup she would have in her life. 

By the time Claire was up, she found them laughing about something they had seen in the morning paper. Owen had also taken the liberty to make breakfast for her. He didn’t know what to cook aside from scrambled eggs, but he had mastered that recipe. 

“Claire, Owen does the best scrambled eggs I have ever tasted!” Eleanor shared while having the last bite. 

“I know. It doesn’t matter how much I twist his arm, he won’t tell me his secret.” Claire chuckled while reaching for the coffee maker, but Owen already had hers ready. 

The couple made eye contact for a second, his fingertips slowly sliding over hers once she took the mug from him. 

“He left you some in the microwave. You should eat them before they get cold.” Her mother let her know.

“Thanks.” She smiled.

“I think that’s very attentive of him.” Eleanor approved. 

Claire nodded. “He knows I’m late from work at times and he always has dinner waiting for me, too.” She shared, feeding the newfound admiration her mom had for her boyfriend. 

“Oh my.” She smiled while sipping on her coffee. “Too bad he is gay. He is very handsome and good boyfriend material.” Eleanor teased Claire, who tried not to blush. 

“Whoever ends up with him is a very lucky person.” Claire agreed, sipping on her coffee and eating her breakfast. 

 

* * *

 

“Claire?” Eleanor called out from the living room. She had been there for three days now, and after her antique shopping with Owen, she was warming up to the idea of Claire living with a gay man. She had noticed how genuinely thoughtful and kind he was with her. 

Eleanor stood by the chores board, one she stopped to read every now and then, getting familiar with the system her daughter had set up for them and impressed at how good Owen seemed to follow it. Even though Claire was her own daughter, she still had issues understanding her modus operandi. 

The couple had erased all the little personal notes they’d left behind for each other, so for the past few days it only showed things related to chores and nothing else, aside from a casual smiley face here and there. 

The woman walked towards Owen’s room but found it empty. She was positive she had seen them around not even five minutes ago. 

“Claire?” She called again. She carefully opened the bathroom door, but that room was empty too. She pursed her lips and sat on the couch, reaching out for a magazine, and started flipping through the pages. 

Claire and Owen had had the brilliant idea to go make out on the staircase. Everybody always used the elevator anyways, and Eleanor didn’t know where the door to the stairs was. 

They spent at least twenty minutes against the railing, kissing and just having a moment to talk without her mom lurking around. They also didn’t come back at the same time: Claire always did first, ready with a good excuse. 

“There you are! Where were you?” The woman wondered once her daughter made it back. 

“I had to head out for a moment.” She casually shrugged. 

“I want to wash my hair tonight but I wanted to see if you have a hair dryer I can use.” Eleanor explained. Claire nodded and led her to her bedroom, where she kept the hair dryer hidden from Owen. He liked turning it on at random times and badly beatboxing to the peculiar sound only he thought it made, which unnerved Claire.

“It must be hard to keep all your beauty stuff from him, huh?” She noticed the dryer was in a very strange place.

“You have no idea.” Claire rolled her eyes. “When I first moved in, he wouldn’t stop using my shampoo and body lotion.” That was actually a fact. 

Five minutes later, Owen rushed into the apartment and turned the tv on. His football game was about to start and he didn’t want to miss a second of it. 

Eleanor looked over with a frown. “Your father is the same.” She shook her head, annoyed. 

“I remember.” Claire smiled. “So, you enjoy your shower and I’ll be in the living room watching the game with him, okay?” She nodded, before heading out of her room to give her mom some space. 

Both Owen and Claire took advantage of the fact that Eleanor took long showers, especially when washing her hair — since she fixed it and dried it in the bathroom too — to get comfortable on the couch while enjoying the football game.

Robert, Claire’s dad, and Owen kept texting back and forth like they always did during games. The man didn’t have anyone as obsessed as him to enjoy football with, and Owen didn’t mind it. 

He kept one arm around his girlfriend and kissed her occasionally. Claire had started to like watching the games with him, not to mention she found it completely adorable when he would start celebrating and screaming at the tv.

She pulled at his shirt so they could make out for a little bit after watching him celebrate, and Owen never rejected her, even if he loved football; he simply loved her more.

“YOO! TOUCHDOWN! THOSE ARE MY DUDES, BABY!” He jumped from the couch to celebrate. 

Eleanor had just come out of the bathroom in that moment, looking at him with her head lilted to the side. 

“I mean, those are some hot dudes! I would touch them all down...” He made a long pause and gulped “...there.”

Claire had to cover her mouth, trying not to laugh. Her mom just rolled her eyes and walked back to the bedroom, closing the door behind her.

“Babe, she knows you like football.” Claire chuckled. 

“Right.” He laughed, before pecking her lips a couple of times. He then reached for his cellphone so he could reply to Robert, who was also celebrating that their team had turned the score around and now had the lead. 

“Wanna make out?” She smiled nibbling on her lip. “She won’t be out for a while.” Claire assured him. After all, she knew her mom’s routine very well. 

Owen nodded and slowly cornered her between the armrest and backrest. They started kissing soundly, her hands were the first to get curious while feeling his lips around her neck. She slipped them under his shirt and moaned, massaging his strong muscles. 

He smiled at her and bit at her lower lip softly before kissing her fully, his right hand massaging her breast while he leaned even closer against her. 

In ten minutes he had completely forgotten about the football game and Robert, his full attention on Claire while she got comfortable under his frame, getting completely worked up. 

She gulped and moved her hand around his waist, her fingers finding his semi hard bulge and massaging it through his pants. 

“You are so mean...” He complained, knowing he wouldn’t be able to get to second base.

“I’m a horny meanie.” She admitted. “And a little selfish because I need to feel you somehow.” She blushed, kissing him deeply before nibbling on his chin, moaning at the way her fingers were feeling how he grew completely erected.

“Give me a reason not to fuck you right now, babydoll...” He gulped, hiding his face against her neck.

The answer to that didn’t come from Claire, but from her bedroom door being opened. Owen jumped off the couch and ran off to his room, where he locked himself up. 

“What’s wrong with him now?” Eleanor wondered while Claire fixed her top and sat straight on the couch. 

“He broke a nail.” Claire closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead with her fingers, really hating to be throwing stereotypes at her mom. 

“Hmm. Is he gonna finish watching this? If he isn’t, maybe we can finally watch that documentary we were discussing about at the MET the other day?” She smiled.

“Um...” Claire turned to look at his room and took a moment to figure it out. “I think we can.” She nodded and grabbed the remote so they could watch Netflix, searching for the documentary they had talked about. 

Claire had gotten her taste in history and politics from her mom, and it had been a long time since they both had sat down and watched a documentary together. Claire loved it, since they could discuss it as they watched it, and further interpret many of the theories given.

The screen of their Apple TV went black for a couple of seconds, making both women look at each other in wonder. Claire was reaching for the remote to see if she could fix it, when the screen came back to life.

Eleanore gasped and went completely pale, collapsing against the backrest, her eyes wide in shock. She wanted to close them but she had forgotten how to do that. 

It wasn’t until Claire looked up from the remote that she saw what was playing now on the television: herself, on her back, with her feet up on Owen’s chest, the man kneeled before her while he fucked her with fury, Claire completely surrendered to his alpha domination, panting and moaning. 

The redhead dead-dropped the remote, its batteries flying out, feeling like she was suffocating, unable to breathe. She gulped. “So, umm… He isn’t really gay...” She rubbed the back of her sweaty neck, looking at her mom, embarrassed and totally guilty. 


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to my editor in chief!

The video playing on their Apple TV, burning Eleanor’s corneas, had come to exist after Claire had told Owen she had to leave on a business trip for a week. 

They’d known they would miss each other during that time apart, so Claire had suggested to make a ‘sex tape’ which they could watch during those lonely nights.  Of course Owen had jumped at the idea, and he took over from there. 

They had picked a night to just record themselves having sex, and had used his iPhone for it. They’d watched the video for the first time together and agreed it was perfect and sexy enough to make it the official copy. From there, Claire let him be with it and watch it whenever he pleased. 

That evening, after Claire had worked him up with a hand job, Owen had run off to his bedroom to avoid for Eleanor to see him displaying a large erection. He had also locked himself in, so he could take care of it, seeing how his girlfriend wouldn’t be able to assist him this time.

Since filming the infamous video, Owen secretly preferred it over any kind of porn. There was nothing better than to jerk off to the sounds he provoked in his girlfriend and the sight of him fucking her without mercy. 

He was holding his iPhone with one hand while he went fast and rough on his cock with the other. His fingers slipped down the screen while he tried to hold it steadily enough. Owen, lost in his pleasure, never realized he had turned on Airdrop by accident, and automatically displayed on their tv what he was watching. 

He was halfway into it already — Claire had gifted him with the entire act, letting him undress her and have some foreplay before he fucked her like never before. 

Claire’s first reaction after clarifying that he wasn’t really gay was to try turn the tv off, but her trembling fingers couldn’t place the fallen batteries back in the slot, and her mom screaming didn’t help. It took her about two minutes — which felt like hours — to unplug the television.

Eleanor was screaming at her, telling her she was out of her fucking mind, and that she hadn’t raised her to become the star in some guy’s amateur porno. 

Claire could barely register what her mom was saying, feeling completely sick to her stomach as her mind processed the fact that the woman had just witnessed her being fucked by her boyfriend.

Claire ran off straight to the toilet, Eleanor following her. “Where are you going? I’m not done with you!” The woman hissed. 

Owen came out of his room, in time to see his girlfriend rushing to the bathroom and the older woman following. 

Claire didn’t answer and didn’t notice Owen following them, trying to understand why they were fighting about this time, or more like why was that lady screaming at his girlfriend. 

Once Claire was kneeled on the floor, she started throwing up. The embarrassment, the fact that her mom had seen her in such explicit form, and being aware that she would never hear the end of it, were making her sick. 

“I hope you are not pregnant!” Her mother spat. Claire looked up from the toilet and rolled her eyes. 

“WHAT!?” Owen screamed behind them. 

“You would probably give birth to a baby caveman.” Eleanor dissed in disgust. 

“Stop right there.” Claire demanded. She could yell at her all she wanted, but she was not allowed to talk about her boyfriend like that. 

“Oh boy! Oh boy!” Owen was going crazy behind them. He went to the kitchen, looking for a pad and a pencil and started making numbers, freaking out about the expenses that a baby would bring to a household. 

Claire rinsed her mouth after she was done. “Thanks for holding my hair up, mom.” She offered condescendingly. 

“What could you possibly have thought when you agreed to that?” The woman hoped that her daughter at least had consent on the tape. 

“I was thinking of making my boyfriend happy. I was thinking it would be fun and something intimate we could share.” She spat, not caring about anything anymore. She had hit rock bottom, she had nothing to lose. 

“I’ll get another job and work extra hours...I promise I’ll give you and our baby everything it needs!” Owen called out while Claire and Eleanor made it out of the bathroom.

“Babe, I’m not pregnant!” Claire assured him, unable to stop herself from thinking his intentions were too sweet. 

“You obviously didn’t think about the consequences, did you?”

“Actually, I was looking for the perfect timing to show it to you.” Claire added with sarcasm, obviously never imagining this kind of incident would happen, since it was only the two of them in the apartment all the time. 

“How could you possible let him film you in such a private moment? What if he shows it to his buddies, hmmm? Did you think about that?”

“First of all... it was me the one who decided to film it, and second of all...I know he would never do that!” Claire was starting to lose it.

“How? how do you know he wouldn’t do that!? Men are despicable and lack sense of consciousness! Maybe not all men, but Owen surely does.” She dissed him again. 

“I’ll change to generic cereal. I can live without my Lucky Charms! I’ll change to basic cable, too. There are so many ways we can save some money. I’ll sell my Play Station and my bike.” 

Eleanor just gave Claire a look. The fact that Owen was still freaking out about this after hearing one word, was proving her point. 

“You know how I know? Because he is not a vile bitch, like some people I know!” Claire spat, and headed over to Owen, who had truly been taken aback by Eleanor’s early pregnancy remake. 

Claire tilted her head and found his eyes, smiling lovingly at him while cupping his cheeks. “I’ll take care of you.” He assured her.

“Babe, I’m not pregnant.” Claire insisted before pecking his lips a couple of times. “And you don’t have to give up your Lucky Charms.” She added, “I won’t allow it.” She found the gesture very moving though.

“First you end up in some cheap porn video like a two dollar hooker and then you disrespect me?” Eleanor followed her, watching her daughter hug Owen gently, trying to get him to snap out of the assumption that she was pregnant.

“I never said it was you, but if the shoe fits!” 

“You are moving out! If you can’t afford a place of your own, then your father and I will take care of it. But I want you out of this dumpster and away from him.”

“Excuse me?” Claire turned to look at her. “I’m not going anywhere, mother.” She assured her. “This is my home and you have no say in telling me who should or shouldn’t date.” 

Owen wrapped his arms around Claire while she stood up in front of him. He was quiet. He knew that if he stepped forward he would end up disrespecting the woman, and he was still looking to keep his promise and win her over. 

“As your mother, I have the right to voice my concerns, and you can certainly understand why I’m worried you are taking your life into such a disastrous and dishonest path.” 

“MOM!” Claire called out once as a warning that she was at the edge of completely losing it.

“First you move with this joke of a man and then you allow him to disrespect you like that.” The woman pointed out at the tv. 

“Hey!” Owen frowned. “What happened with me being a good catch?” He complained quietly. 

“A good catch for a country milkmaid in Kentucky, not my daughter!” Eleanor spat. 

“Owen and I love each other and I don’t care if you or dad don’t approve... I really don’t care. I didn’t ask for your input, I don’t give a shit about what concerns you, because you are obviously only focused on what YOU want here, and you don’t care about what I KNOW is good for me and what makes ME happy!” Claire ranted out. “So please kindly fuck off!” 

Claire gulped, her eyes wide open as those words hit her ears, realizing how she had talked to her mother; but she was fed up and didn’t care anymore. 

Owen’s arm around her waist was the only thing keeping her from crumbling to the floor, feeling her legs going weak. 

Eleanor fixed her wool jacket and blinked a couple of times. “Alright then.” She turned around. “I’ll be gone by tomorrow morning.” She had to change her flight, but if Claire wanted her to ‘fuck off’ then so be it. “If you are picking some dirty man over your family, that’s your prerogative Claire.” Eleanor added before walking back to her room and closing the door behind her.

The moment that door locked, Claire collapsed onto one of the kitchen stools and held tight onto Owen’s waist, feeling his fingers running down her hair before he kissed the top of her head. 

 

* * *

 

Claire’s giggles filled the apartment while she and Owen tried to make pancakes. She was in charge of measuring the ingredients and stirring the mix. They had gotten these cute dinosaur molds at the dollar store and were going to try use them. She took a full ladle of her mix and poured it inside the mold Owen was holding in the pan. He waited for the mix to cook a little before pulling it away and working on their first T-Rex pancake. 

Claire sprinkled some chocolate chips on it before he tossed it up and let it cook from the other side. She smiled and hugged his waist, gently before looking up, feeling his lips meeting hers. 

“I’m sorry.” He frowned. 

“Babe, don’t.” She shook her head. “I seriously don’t care anymore. I love you.” She assured him. “You are all I need.” 

“Me and our future caveman babies.” Owen grinned. 

Claire nodded, “Yes.” She offered a couple of pecks. 

Owen sighed and tucked her hair behind her ear before kissing her forehead. He grabbed the spatula, and after making sure the pancake was done, he set it on the side so she could pour mix into their triceratops mold.

They both turned to look up when they heard the door of her room being opened. Eleanor came out, carrying her luggage. 

“You’re already leaving, mom?” Claire tilted her head, Owen hugging her close and nuzzling her neck. “Don’t you want to have some breakfast first? We are making pancakes.” 

“No thank you.” Eleanor said, pursing her lips and walking to the door. 

“Do you need me to help you to the cab at least?” A part of Claire didn’t want to leave things bitter between them. 

“If you ever come to your senses you know how to reach me.” Eleanor offered, brushing off Claire’s offer to help as she walked out the door.

“Same goes to you, mom. You can call me once you do.” Claire offered condescendingly before lacing fingers with Owen and watching her mom roll her eyes, closing the door behind her. 

Claire sighed and nuzzled against Owen’s neck before sobbing a couple of times. He held her close, and once she made eye contact, he kissed her lips lovingly. 

“The good part is that I have my room back!” She teased, exchanging pecks with him. 

“What if I don’t want you to go back to your room?” He asked with a light smirk.

“What?” She blushed, nibbling on her lower lip and holding him tighter. 

“Move in with me...” He teased, making her giggle.

Claire nodded softly and kissed him gently. “Let me check with my roommate.” 

Owen chuckled happily, and pulling her up from her waist, he kissed her passionately, her legs bending back. 


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoutout to my editor in chief!

Claire’s bright grin was being triggered by a pair of strong hands sliding under her tank top from behind. She leaned against Owen’s frame and moaned into his ear, feeling how gently he was when massaging her breasts. 

“You better be marking my list with a golden star.” He smiled, nipping at her earlobe as the pads of his fingers massaged her nipples, feeling how she was slowly melting under his touch. 

“Why? You were a good boy today?” She tilted her head up, brushing her lips with his before they kissed soundly. 

“Yes, ma’am...I did all my chores already and it’s not even noon yet.” He pointed out. 

Claire giggled and slowly turned around, hugging his neck lovingly. “Thank you.” She truly appreciated it when the apartment was impeccable. 

Owen smiled; he loved seeing her happy, and if cleaning under the couch and the fridge made her happy, then it wouldn’t kill him do it once a week. He nodded and pecked her lips a couple of times. “What were you doing with my chart anyways? You better not be messing with my system, young lady.” He curved an eyebrow. 

Claire shook her head, “I was adding a new section.” She grinned mischievously. 

“Oh?”

“And giving you five golden stars right from the start, too.” She flirted, pulling at his shirt lightly. 

“Five! Golden! Stars!” Owen’s eyes were big and his grin bright. 

“Mhmm...you know, last night...wow.” She blushed, “And then this morning....damn.” She was still speechless. 

Owen licked his lips and adjusted on his feet, pulling her closer by her waist. “You were particularly delicious, and I couldn’t get enough of you.” He shrugged. 

Claire moaned and nibbled on his chin. “So? you are exquisite...” She insisted. 

“Oh yeah?” He backed her against the whiteboard, and reaching out, he cupped her pussy over her pajama pants: his fingers weren’t shy to start massaging her.

Claire groaned and curved her body against him. “You are a bad boy, Grady.” She gasped, feeling him move quickly and slide his fingers under the blue striped pajama pants. 

“I’ve read...” He chuckled, his free hand taking her left one and kissing gently around her wrist. Claire had surprised him with a matching tattoo the other day. He found it extremely sexy, and the fact that it was her nickname for him, had sent him through the roof. 

She giggled before she gasped, feeling how his middle finger had found its way between her legs and he was slowly fucking her with it, his lips still adoring that tattoo with gentle nibbles.

“So what’s the new section about?” He pulled his hand out and sucked on his finger, the taste of her juices was intoxicating. 

She gulped and nodded a couple of times. “Right. So I was thinking...maybe we could have a challenge of sorts?” She blushed and showed him the corner she had set up for it. 

It was a rating system, one where she was suggesting they list their orgasms and rate them with stars, according to how good they had been. She had listed the last two times they had had sex so far, and with her green marker, she had rated him five stars each (it had been just SO good, that it had triggered this idea into her mind).

Owen caught up on the system fast, and with his red marker, he rated her too. 

“Awe five stars, really?” She was moved. Claire pecked his lips a couple of times. 

“It was you who got me so horny that it got that good.” He nodded. “Keep the good work.” He teased. 

Claire giggled while writing something on the board. She covered it up with her hand while Owen was curious, trying to get her to move so he could read.

“ONE STAR!?” He was offended. “What did I do to deserve this!?” He gasped. 

“That was the lamest fingering I’ve ever had!” Claire explained about his tease from a few minutes earlier. 

“Excuse me?” He gasped, “I wasn’t even trying...” He rolled his eyes. 

Claire shrugged, “Next time, try.” She looked down at him and slowly brushed her fingers across his chest as she walked past him. 

Owen was quick to grab her waist tightly and lift her up over his shoulders. She laughed, watching how he stormed off to their room and closed the door behind him. 

He groaned, dropping her over the mattress; Claire moaned, feeling her back hitting it as she bounced lightly against it. 

Owen slid her pajama pants down her legs  in one swift pull, making her bite on her lower lip and bend one leg up as she rested her foot on his puffed out chest. 

He gripped tightly on both her ankles and demanded for her to keep her legs spread open. His hands slid tenderly up her legs as he let her wrap them around him, sliding between them. 

Owen nosed against her panties, his fingers curling under the waistband, before he started pulling them down until they were in his hands. 

Claire was already panting by the time he started massaging her naked pussy. She kept her eyes on him, her legs parted wide for him. 

She moaned softly at first: the way his fingers started slipping in and out of her hole with ease, made him start going fast. Claire started arching her back and gripping onto the sheets underneath her, as she felt how he was able to build her up fast, going deep and rough, almost threatening to push his entire fist between her folds. 

“God, baby...” She begged, “You know exactly how I like it, don’t you?” She managed to say between moans as they grew louder.

Five minutes in, it was impossible for her to stay still, feeling how her body was building up for him. “You want me to cum all over your hand? Is that what you want?” She panted, asking him for more, to just get on top of her and fuck her with the hard erection he was now displaying.

“I want to lick your juices off my hand, so make sure to cum hard, babe.” He assured her, going faster as he felt how her walls were tightening around his digits. 

Claire clawed at the pillow she was resting her head on, and started screaming, letting him know she took it back, that she was sorry, as she begged for him to bring her to release. 

Owen chuckled, watching her completely surrender to the way his fingers were fucking her without mercy: he didn’t pull out until her fluids soaked the sheet underneath her. 

Claire chuckled, trying to catch her breath. “That’s what I call five stars.” She nodded, her hand over her chest as she felt her heart beating fast. 

It took her five minutes to recover before she sat up and decided to walk half naked over to the living room to correct what she had unfairly marked low. 

Claire bit on her lower lip the moment she felt the bare head of his cock pressing against her ass. “I was feeling a little overdressed and had to catch up.” He teased, his lips nibbling down her neck, his fingers moving her hair to the side. 

They moved to the couch: it was time for Claire to win a five star rate from him after the best fingering she had ever had in her life.

Owen was leaning against the backrest, his naked legs spread open with Claire kneeled down between them.

Their eyes met for a second before she let the tip of her tongue run up the length of his cock. Owen tilted his head back and moaned loudly, his fingers brushing her long hair, stroking it a little. 

Claire started off with a fast pace, swallowing him whole, thrusting her lips up and down his shaft as his hazel eyes watched her, his throat growling in pleasure. She moaned, allowing her lips to suck on the head of his cock, tasting it like it was a lollipop. Owen pushed her softly down against him, rolling his hips up, wanting to feel his thick cock make love to her mouth, unable to get enough of her.

“...Fuck.” He let out; her lips knew exactly how he liked it. “Keep going, babe...” He begged. Claire didn’t stop, until he couldn’t hold it anymore, her hands resting on his lap while she shifted deep between his thighs.

“Imma cum...” He gulped, rolling his eyes to the back of his head and tensing up, completely at her mercy. 

Claire pulled back and, curling her finger around his pulsing cock, she started pumping it up and down until his groans filled the room and he shot his warm release all over her chest and her fingers. 

She smiled up, watching him try to catch his breath. “I want your pussy now!” He demanded with a smirk, dropping his head back against the headrest. 

Claire giggled and adjusted on his lap, letting him peck her lips over and over again. 

“I’m going to fuck you so hard, I’ll break that chart of yours, you hear me?” He determined. 

Claire giggled and stood up from his lap, watching him walk to the chart a few steps away. He rated that blowjob five stars and then put the marker down. 

She giggled at the way he was looking at her. Claire jumped in his arms the moment he went back for her, her fingers brushing down his hair and their lips passionately kissing as he walked them back to the bedroom. 

Claire got on top once he adjusted in the middle of the mattress, letting her ride his cock. Owen’s fingers finally slid her tank top over her head, able to admire her naked figure, his hands softly taking their time over her breasts. 

He nuzzled between them and let his tongue taste every inch of their curves while her hips swung back and forth, his entire length slipping in and out of her. 

Claire’s moans in sync with how thick he felt against her tight cave. Owen’s hand rubbed her naked sweaty back while he kept his face hidden in her tits. 

She had also taken his shirt off and allowed her fingers to explore every muscle on his chest, before she leaned closer and her bare breasts started to bounce against it as their bodies rubbed against each other.

Claire parted her lips to gasp, his hips gaining pace, enjoying the view of having her face to face. “You feel so good...” He panted, sliding his hands around her waist just to find her ass and squeeze her butt cheeks. 

Owen gripped tight onto them, helping her keep her balance as she kept bouncing faster, their lips desperately tasting each other, their tongues unable to get enough. 

Both of them could go for hours, unable to satisfy the thirst they felt for each other. They knew they would spend the rest of their Saturday touring their apartment and having sex all over the place. There were times when they found new places to mark: they had done it on most of the furniture. That morning, he had fucked her against the body length mirror in the other bedroom.

Claire curled her arms around his neck and leaned over, kissing his lips in desperation while she felt him hit depths that he could only reach inside of her when she was riding him. She moaned into their kiss, his hands massaging her ass while he kept the pace fast and hard, her own hips following his movements like she was riding a wild mechanic bull. 

Claire closed her eyes and cried out as she kept begging him, her hips bouncing faster, wanting Owen to bring her to her release. It felt like she was holding it and couldn’t keep it inside anymore, she was about to explode, but she had no escape and he was the only one who could create one for her release. 

“Baby...please... GOD!!!” she begged, as their bodies kept their rhythm synchronized.

“Cum for me baby...” He murmured pecking her lips gently, his cock fucking her fast, unable to get enough of her tight pussy; he was on the verge of his release, too. 

Claire nodded at his plea. He was holding it so he could feel her walls relaxing as he kept fucking her, wanting her own climax to trigger his. 

High pitched cries came out of her throat before she finally went over the peak of her pleasure and let her body collapse against his. 

Owen sighed in pleasure, feeling his own seed finally leaving his pulsing cockhead buried inside of her. 

They both smiled, breathing fast. Owen’s fingers pushing her sweaty red hair back so he could kiss her warm forehead. 

Claire adjusted and lay over his chest, her fingers playing with his chest hair, feeling his hand rubbing her back. Their hearts beat fast and loud against each other. 

“That’s definitely five stars.” She teased before pecking his lips a couple of times.

“You make my cock happy, so.” He teased her. 

“Just your cock?” She raised an eyebrow, tilting her head up and making eye contact with him. 

He shook his head. “You make me the luckiest man on earth.” He assured her.

“Awee.” She nuzzled into his neck.

“Wow...that’s a two star response.” He scuffed. 

“You know, you don’t have to rate everything.” She rolled her eyes. 

“That attitude is a one star rate.” Owen kissed her forehead a couple of times. “Just saying.” 


	15. Chapter 15

Doing the mix was easy: anyone could follow instructions from a box. Claire’s gesture was genuine; she wanted to bake her boyfriend his favorite cookies and surprise him with them. She was organized, and many could swear she had a bit of OCD. Claire immediately started washing the utensils and containers she had used for her baking, putting everything back in its place and cleaning the kitchen until it sparkled. 

Their oven held a couple of trays with the cookies she had so carefully molded and perfectly aligned. She smiled while doing the dishes, finding a peculiar satisfaction that things would be in order and cleaned once she was done. The redhead singing Ace of Base’s “The Sign” while she cleaned around: she was in a good mood that day.

This was the first time Claire had cooked or baked anything in her life, always reminding people of that. She bent down to check on her cookies through the oven glass door. They seemed to be doing well, and she had checked on the temperature a couple of times, making sure she was doing everything right. 

She’d had to study the guide book to learn how to set their oven up, too. She checked the pdf on her phone and made sure both handles where were the guide said and she pushed all the buttons that thing said she should. Claire had no idea what she was doing, but by following he book, should do just fine.

Owen was in the shower, singing AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long” while he rubbed the soapy sponge down his armpits and along his arms. 

He always let the hot water run while he showered, something that ticked Claire off. She was always asking him to turn the faucet off while he washed his hair and soaped around. 

Owen suddenly got the wave of a peculiar smell. He sniffed audibly and wrinkled his nose. The man sniffed his armpits, wondering if he needed to soap them a second time, but the awful smell wasn’t coming from there. He turned over his shoulder and looked down to his butt, he curved an eyebrow and shook his head. 

Owen quickly shrugged the smell off and went back to his singing. It was the peculiar, high pitched cry in Claire’s scream what alerted the very distracted man. Owen could swear every time she screamed, the neighborhood dogs went deaf for a couple of minutes there. 

He turned the water off, “Babe!?” He called out, that horrible smell he was sensing was unbearable by then. 

Claire kept screaming like there was no tomorrow and she was being kidnapped by zombies during an apocalypse breakout. It wasn’t until he opened the bathroom door that his eyes were met with an apartment filled with smoke, the detector in the ceiling going off. 

“Claire Bear!?” A very naked Owen started to call out, worried about his girlfriend as he looked around the heavy gray smoke: the closer he got to the kitchen the stronger that horrible smell was. 

“Baby!?” She coughed by the kitchen window, trying to unlock it and pull it up open so the smoke could start leaving their home. 

“Claire Bear!” He cupped her cheeks and started to make sure she was okay. “What happened, baby?” He pecked her lips a couple of times, “Are you okay?” He ran his fingers down her arms.

“No.” She pouted, both of them coughing, the smoke didn’t seem to end and that loud alarm still going off. 

Claire started reaching around until she found the oven; the source of that never ending thick smoke. 

“This stupid thing burnt my cookies!” She kicked the floor, keeping herself from hitting the appliance. 

Owen followed her and turned the oven off. He grabbed a couple of mittens and pulled the door opened before taking the trays out and setting them by the window. 

“C’mon, let’s go to the other side. You shouldn’t be breathing in this stuff.” He held her hand protectively and kissed it a couple of times. 

His girlfriend was still pouting, deep frown between her brows. “We will bake more cookies, I promise.” He nodded his head, his hands cupping her cheeks, and his lips kissing her forehead before she nuzzled close. Claire buried her face in the crook of his neck and sobbed lightly, her arms holding his waist tightly. 

“You are naked...” She finally pointed out once the smoke was slowly vanishing and she calmed down.

“Just for you, baby...” He teased her before he shook his head. After planting a couple of pecks on her lips, Owen led her back to the window. 

She was nibbling on her nails, feeling his fingers steadily rubbing her nape. The sound of his uncontrollable laughter made her frown again. 

“Don’t laugh.” She shook her head, nuzzling into his naked bicep. 

“You burnt them to ashes.” He managed to point out as he laughed. 

“But it’s not funny. I was trying to make something cute for you and surprise you with your favorite cookies.” She sniffed. Those things smelt like burnt trash. 

Owen gulped lightly, that disappointing look in those beautiful green eyes was something that always broke him. He grabbed one of the cookies — or what was left of it — and even if he could feel how it disintegrated in his fingers, Owen brought it up to his lips. 

Claire was watching him with big eyes, a loving sparkle in them. Owen whined lightly and poking the tip of his tongue out, he tasted the cookie. It wasn’t just the most horrible cookie he had ever tried, but the most disgusting thing he had ever eaten, too. 

Taking a deep breath, Owen nibbled on it. The cookie practically ashes. It felt like he was eating charcoal. “Thank you, gorgeous.” He smiled, some of the burnt crumbs on his lip. Owen managed to swallow that tiny bite and knew he had a big one to take next. 

Claire nodded and kissed him fully, cleaning his lips with hers, the taste of her sweet lips leaving him humming to himself. 

It made her happy that he was obviously doing the effort to eat this, and that was all he needed. Owen tossed the rest of the cookie into his mouth and started chocking on it, the burnt taste unbearable. 

“You know what they need? A glass of milk.” He suggested with a smile, hoping this one would help those cookies go down easier. 

Claire nodded and went to the fridge to pour him some. Owen gulped it all in one breath. 

“No...” She shook her head pushing the tray away from him. “I shouldn’t even have let you eat that first one.” She looked into his eyes, her arms holding his waist gently. 

“I wanted to.” He shrugged. 

“Because you love me?” She teared up a little. 

“No, because seeing you cry makes me uncomfortable.” He joked.

A deadpan look appeared on her face. 

“Because I love you.” He added softly, hoping he could repair the damage. “I don’t know how to measure it. I just want to see you happy.” 

Claire nibbled on her lip and let her fingers caress every muscle on his naked abdomen. “I think we should take care of your naked situation....” She flirted, both of them still standing in front of the open window. “It’s starting to get distracting.” She groaned, her teeth nipping on his chin.

“See, I’m here trying to be all mushy, being all corny to you... and all you can think of is sex!” He scuffed, looking away with a playful smile on his face. 

“Then fine, forget it then.” Claire shrugged, Owen pulling her back against his chest before she could turn away. 

“Not so fast young lady.” He breathed, quick to help her catch up, her outfit falling onto the floor piece by piece, their lips kissing hungrily. 

Owen’s large hands cupped her naked butt cheeks, pulling her up to straddle him. Claire loved how his strong arms were able to carry her weight, the way those long veins popped out was an incredible turn on. She helped him by keeping her balance, holding onto his shoulders.

There was no need for a place to sit her or pin her to. Owen found the right balance once she wrapped her legs around his waist. He reached for his cock, that would never get enough of her, and after stroking it a little, he let it play with her hole, his tip brushing between her folds. 

Claire moaned, hugging his neck while he kept her weight up with only one arm around her waist. Her lips nipped at his earlobe, so her moans could be closer to his hearing. 

Her fingers played with the hair behind his neck; the way his thick cockhead teased her, pushing in and slowly out, was driving her insane. Owen was able to get her wet in seconds, the feeling of her lubricated lips erecting his dick fully. 

Owen thrusted his hips against hers, tilting his head back, feeling how smoothly her walls sucked him in. He penetrated her fast and deep, both of them moaning at the feeling before they kissed. His hands now cupped her round ass, spanking it once before he started thrusting fast into her. 

There was a whole world turning around them, a city going on with their day outside that window, while the couple fucked in the kitchen without a care in the world. 

A couple of preteen boys who also lived in the 4th floor, but in the building next to theirs, were also fooling around without a care. They were using a telescope to spy on the neighbors since their wifi was down. 

One of them grinned mischievously while the other one was dying to see what was it. “Sweet!!!” They celebrated, taking turns to watch through the instrument and observed how the couple fucked by the window. Both kids enjoyed the fact that Claire’s breasts kept bouncing up and down as Owen fucked her hard. 

“That redhead is such a babe!” They high fived. Even if they had the visuals, they were bummed they didn’t have a way to have access to their noises: something the old lady who lived under the couple’s apartment could swear were audible to the entire neighborhood.

She was always watching her shows late at night when Claire’s loud moans echoed down to her apartment, or the lady could be reading the newspaper and have Owen’s grunting distract her. 

The old lady went looking for a broom, and she stared to tap the ceiling with the stick, hoping they would be able to hear her. She was positive they could, and it just irked her that their groans happened to grow louder after she did so. 

The way Claire was begging Owen for release is what had the old lady have enough already. She was ready to give them a whole lecture about sex, especially since they were obviously practicing it in a mundane way. 

Loud angry knocks at their door made Owen lose concentration. “Don’t stop baby...please.” Claire begged, rolling her hips against his, both of them still standing by the window, giving those two kids the best day of their lives.

“Who is it?” Owen called out, making Claire bring his attention back to her with his fingers, tilting his head back and kissing him hungrily. 

“Can you please keep it low? Some of us find it very vulgar that you need to let the whole block know that you are fornicating!” The lady called out from outside. 

Claire snorted, “Who uses the word ‘fornicate’ anymore?”

Owen wasn’t interested in finding out and without losing pace, his attention went back to Claire, her moans quickly building up again. 

The lady knocked at their door again: she was not going to give up that easy. 

“We already belong to a Christian community, thank you!” Owen said, his lips trying to catch Claire’s while she laughed.

“I highly doubt it!” The woman huffed before she kept knocking. 

“Fuck off!” Owen was starting to get annoyed. 

“That’s what you get for acknowledging her for starters.” Claire giggled. 

The banging against the door was not stopping. Owen set Claire down, and after pulling out of her, he walked to the door. 

“Babe, come on!” Claire sighed.

“Go wait in the bedroom.” He suggested. The redhead sighed and walked to their room. 

Owen didn’t give a fuck and answered the door naked, the old lady going pale and almost fainting at the sight of that long frustrated erection in the nude. 

“What can I do for you, ma’am?” He beamed, watching the woman cover her eyes with her one hand and shaking her head, she turned around and left.

Claire was laughing uncontrollably inside. “Be with the lord!” Owen called out as the lady walked back down stairs to her home.

“I don’t think she will bother us anymore.” Owen called out, locking the door behind him. 

He went back to the bedroom and smiled wide at the redhead waiting for him to finish what he had started.

“You are a bad boy, Grady...” She moaned feeling him sliding between her legs, slowly penetrating her again while their lips kissed desperately. 


	16. Chapter 16

“You are the babe from the window!” Two twelve year olds immediately recognized Claire. It wasn’t like there were any other redheads in the neighborhood aside from her, so pointing her out among brunettes and blondes was easy. 

“Excuse me?” Claire was both confused and a little taken aback after hearing those two kids call her a ‘babe’. 

“You live on the fourth floor with that guy, right?” They laughed as they got on their bikes. They were on their way out, Claire on her way in. “We didn’t have WiFi either.” The other kid snorted. “Can’t wait to upgrade to your kind of entertainment.”

Claire tilted her head and blinked a couple of times. “Alright.” She didn’t know what else to say. “Stay in school, I guess.” She brushed them off, her attention now in her bag while she looked for her keys. 

“Nice bouncing tits!” The two of them laughed and started pedaling away, Claire turning to look at them with a gasp, not believing those two kids. 

The sound of their obviously mocking laugher was unable to leave her mind as she walked upstairs to the apartment, a deep frown between her brows while she tried to figure out how those kids had been able to spy on her and Owen like that. 

“What’s all this?” Claire wondered at the many fishing tools all over the living room. She took her jacket off and tossed her purse on the kitchen counter. 

“This is me getting us ready for a weekend out fishing.” Owen smiled as he started to move things around. There was a kids swimming pool in the middle of the living room filled with water and all. 

“Who is us?” Claire tilted her head, a faint smile meeting Owen’s lips as he leaned close to kiss her a couple of times. “No...more.” She gripped his shirt and after a soft kiss, she wrapped her arms around his waist. 

Owen kissed her forehead a couple of times and resting his chin on the top of her head, he kept her warm in his embrace. “Us...as in me and my girlfriend.” He answered her question. 

“What makes you think I’m going fishing with you?” She snorted. “And I hope you have some sort of plan to get this off the apartment without spilling a drop!” She pointed out at his pool.

“You said I could pick what we would do for my birthday!” Owen reminded her while walking around and grabbing two fishing rod reels. “So I picked going fishing!” 

That explained all the equipment, but she was still puzzled about the pool. “True...” She nodded about what she had offered, “But I don’t know how to fish.” 

“I know.” Owen brought a bucket from around the kitchen counter and poured it into the pool, five trouts falling from it and now swimming around the pool. “So I’m going to teach you!” He smiled.

“You got me a training lake with real fish?” Claire smiled softly, for a moment completely forgetting what had happened downstairs.

“Yep!” Owen also had an icebox with beers by the pool. “We are having a test run, babe!” He beamed. 

Claire kissed him lovingly a couple of times. “What’s with the cork?” She noticed both their fishing rod reels had the hook inserted in one.

“So we don’t harm these cuties.” He explained, to which Claire nodded. 

It took Owen a couple of minutes to explain to her how to handle the fishing rod and in no time, Claire was throwing it into the pool and fake-fishing with him. 

“This is fun!” She smiled, watching how the two of them were standing by the pool.

“Cheers!” He offered a beer he had taken out of his ice box and kissed her lovingly. 

“Cheers...” She offered back and pecked his lips a couple of times. 

They both took a sip of their beers and set them to the side while playing around. Claire soon frowned again as silence started to fall among them. 

“What is it? You seem...uneasy.” Owen asked her softly, he knew her too well. He hugged her with his free arm and kissed her temple.

Claire sighed and shook her head. “Nothing, just two stupid kids outside, that’s all.” She brushed it off.

“What two stupid kids!?” Owen dropped the fishing subject for now, he had two butts to kick. “What did they do to you!?” He looked down to make eye contact with her, his arm still wrapping her in his safe embrace. 

“It’s nothing.” she shrugged.

Owen mirrored her frown. “Babe...come on. No one messes with you, those damn kids need to be told that.”

Claire smiled softly. She could deal with them just fine, but Owen getting protective was just simply impossible to resist. “They said I have nice bouncy ti—breasts.” She shivered. “I feel so...exposed.”

“That’s it!” Owen let go of his girlfriend, and cracking his knuckles and his neck, he headed straight outside.

“Babe...wait! You don’t even know which kids I’m talking about!” Claire snatched her jacket from the rack and closed the apartment door behind her. 

“Imma kill those sons of bitches!” Owen fumed down the staircase, Claire hurrying her step behind him. 

Once outside, the man started to look around, Claire already by his side. “It was them.” She pointed out at the two kids who were back from the store.

“Hey!” Owen yelled out, it was evident in his face that he was upset. 

The kids tossed their bikes onto the sidewalk and walked up to their building. 

“You two with the tiny winnies, I’m talking to you!” Owen started marching to the building next door. Claire followed, making sure he stayed out of trouble.

“Shit! That’s her boyfriend...” they figured out once they recognized Claire trying to pull Owen back. Both kids hurried their step up the stairs to the entrance.

“Whatcha gonna do? Cry to your momma?” Owen challenged them. “Or is it time for you two to get breast fed? That if your momma has titties for that.” 

“Owen come on!” Claire begged. She was tired after a long day of work and the apartment was a mess. 

Both kids were now triggered. They were twelve. They were old enough to know stuff and this punk had not only done the worst by calling them babies, but he had brought their moms into it. 

“Oh yeah? Well...Your mama is so fat you gotta take a panoramic to fit her in a picture!” They both laughed, still standing by the door, somehow feeling sheltered by the fact that they were by their building.

“Babe?” Claire sighed, knowing him too well. “...Please.”

“Yo mama’s so fat, she got baptized at Sea World!” The adult called back.

The kids looked at each other and crossed their arms against their chest, “Yo mama’s so poor, the ducks throw bread at her!” 

“Yo mama is so ugly she has to sneak up on the mirror!” Owen offered back.

“Yo' mama's breath is so bad, when she talks, her lips go numb!” Both boys laughed. 

“Yo mama is so fat, when she farted she launched herself into space!” Owen offered, his hand slowly moving around Claire’s waist. 

One of the kids laughed. “What?” The other one frowned. “That one is true!” The kid chuckled. “Shut up! Yo mama is so ugly that her birth certificate is an apology letter from the condom factory.” He frowned, pushing his friend away, he was of no help.

Owen laughed along, seeing the jokes were starting to get to them, “yo Mama is so ugly, when she goes to strip clubs they pay her to keep her clothes on.”

Claire was quiet, nuzzling into his arm while he held her tightly around her waist. 

Owen kissed her temple, “They won’t mess with you anymore.” He assured her. 

“Erick? Jordan? What are you guys up to?” Two ladies came out of the building and started grooming the kids’ hair before each lady planted a kiss on their respective son, leaving a lipstick mark on their cheeks. “Go back inside, it’s chilly out here.” 

“Yeah! Go back home and learn how to jerk off, losers.” Owen called out, waving the kids goodbye as they ran off, gladly taking the cue to get away from Owen who was clearly beating them.

“Excuse me?” Both ladies were now in full mom mode. “Listen young man, you better stay away from our kids or I’ll call the police!” 

Claire sighed, suddenly those kids messing with her and calling her out for having sex against an open window looked meaningless. “Come on, let’s go.” She took Owen’s hand and started to turn her around. 

“Oh my god, Joan...that’s the hot guy from that one apartment!” One of the ladies recognized Owen. 

He offered a cheeky smile, glad no angry mom was going to beat him up with her shoe or something. Claire was already a couple of steps ahead back to their building.

“We have always wondered how it would be like to feel one of your biceps.” They giggled, already standing next to him. Their fingers gently squeezing his one arm. 

“And that butt!” The other lady giggled, pinching Owen’s butt cheek making him jump. 

“EXCUSE me!?” Claire turned in her heel and was going face to face with those ladies now.

“Nothing dear, we are just admiring this dish.” They flirted with Owen.

“Listen, lady! You better get your filthy paws off my man!” Claire was ready to attack, but Owen stopped her.

“I don’t see the harm, besides, he enjoys it.” Joan giggled, her fingers running down his chest.

“That’s it!!” Claire was ready to jump on them, Owen hugging her from her waist, lifting her up. Claire wiggled her legs and arms in the air as he carried her like that back to their place. 

“Bye, handsome. See you by the window.” They waved.

“We are sealing that window!” Claire demanded at Owen’s chuckles. 

“Come on, let’s get back to our fishing before you end up behind bars.” He teased her. 

“And why were you enabling them?” She punched him on the shoulder once he set her down on the floor. 

“I didn’t!” He frowned, rubbing his shoulder after that hit. 


	17. Chapter 17

Claire had had a long day at work, she’d found traffic on her way home, and all she wanted was to maybe cuddle on the couch with her boyfriend and watch a movie or play some of his video games. 

The redhead pursed her lips when she found the apartment dark and quiet. She had texted Owen to let him know she was running late, that stupid Valentine’s Day rush had New York City jammed. 

She had never been the type to celebrate the special day, not only because she never really had a formal boyfriend for the occasion, but also because that wasn’t really her style — then again, that’s what every woman who had never been spoiled to a romantic gesture said. 

Claire sighed, and taking her coat off, she hung it on the rack and placed her purse on the kitchen counter. That infamous window now had a curtain hanging over it. She headed to the microwave and opened it so she could check what kind of takeout Owen had saved for her that evening. 

She tilted her head when she found a note next to one single red rose inside of it. She reached out for the rose first and took in its sweet scent for a second before letting it twirl in her fingers. She then carefully read the note with a smile: 

_Gorgeous, would you please join me on the roof? Your man and dinner await._

Claire blushed, and nibbling on her lower lip, she closed the microwave and fetched her coat on her way out. 

Owen had taken half the day off work so he could stay home and set everything up for his surprise dinner date. He had cooked and made sure their building’s roof looked perfect and romantic. 

He used fairy lights to illuminate the corner he had picked for their evening. Owen adjusted large cushions on the floor where they could get comfortable, not only for the meal he had cooked for them, but also to cuddle and just enjoy each other’s company. He lay a white silk blanket over the cushions to make it seem like one big mattress. Smaller white and brown pillows were resting against the wall and balcony. 

The fact that Claire was late home from work that day had only worked to his advantage; now it was dark and there was nothing else but the lights he had set up guiding her to their corner. 

There was a gas heater running, keeping that area warm so they could be comfortable, and Owen had also set a glass tray with two lit candles and two glasses of champagne waiting for them. 

Owen wasn’t a natural chef and couldn’t cook much, but he had spent all week trying to find the perfect way to make spaghetti and followed a YouTube tutorial to the second on how to make the best carbonara sauce. 

He had instrumental R&B and Soul music playing on his Spotify in the background just to fill the outdoors space with some ambiance. 

Claire rested her hand on her belly and took a deep breath, unable to shake off the bright smile on her lips. She gently pushed the heavy metallic door open to be greeted by her boyfriend. 

Owen cleared his throat and beaming back at her, he inched closer. He got nervous for a moment, hoping she’d like what he had put together for her. It was simple but he had done it from the heart. 

“Baby...” Claire’s green eyes found his, they were full of love and completely moved. “This is beautiful.” She murmured, her lips gently kissing him, his arms wrapping her in his embrace. 

“I’m glad you like it. I’ve never done anything like this, you know.” He confessed. 

“I—I don’t have anything for you.” She blushed. No one had done anything like this for her either, it was a first for both of them. They hadn’t talked about doing anything for Valentine’s Day, so this was something she wasn’t expecting. 

“I have you, that’s all I need.” Owen assured her it was okay and that he wasn’t expecting anything in return.

Claire noticed the chafing dish on the table by the cushioned corner and smiled softly. “You cooked for me.” She nibbled on her lower lip. Their plates and utensils were on the table, too.

Owen nodded. “I’m sorry it’s nothing fancy.” He murmured back, their foreheads resting against each other. 

“You could have burgers under that lid for all I know and I would still find it romantic.” Claire assured him, their noses brushing against each other. 

Owen smiled, and taking her hands, he guided her to their cushions. Claire adjusted against the wall and let her eyes follow him as he served their dinner. Owen knew she always came home starving and was not going to make her wait.

For dessert, Owen had picked the biggest and juiciest strawberries he could find and planned to dip them into chocolate. He had wanted to bake her something fancy but his attempt hadn’t been successful and so he went with something easy yet romantic.

Claire twirled one around the melted chocolate and fed it to Owen. The man then captured her lips so she could taste their dessert through a kiss. She moaned softly and let her fingers brush down his cheek and rest against his chin, making it deeper. 

After kissing for a couple of seconds, Owen fetched a strawberry too and fed it to her. Claire gave the tip a small perfect bite and munched on it before taking the the rest. 

“This is perfect...” She assured him, feeling his arm bringing her closer to him as they lay against the rest he had cushioned against the wall. Claire had taken her heels off by then and had her legs bent to the side. 

He smiled down at her and kissed her forehead, her arms hugging his waist as she nuzzled close. Owen chuckled to himself and shook his head. He thought there was nothing more perfect than her and would have loved to tell her so, but thought it was too easy or cheesy. He kissed her forehead and her nose, there was no need for words: that whole evening was letting her know that for him, she was perfect. 

“I’m glad you liked it.” He pecked her lips. She smiled lovingly into their kiss and let the moment embrace them. It was a cold winter night but they were warm and cozy in that little corner. 

“I think I know what’s going to be your present.” She hugged him tighter.

“Oh yeah?” He tilted his head curious.

Claire nodded, “Yeah.” 

“Well tell me!!” Owen begged a little, his lips gently peppering her neck with adoring kisses. 

“No, I’d rather show you...” She teased. “Later...” She flirted. 

“That’s my favorite present!” He smiled. Sure sex was a given, and something they did twice a day — sometimes more — but Claire knew how to be completely devoted to him during the act and she only did that when she felt he earned it or deserved it... and tonight he definitely deserved it. 

“You’ll get to unwrap it and all!” She playfully added. 

Owen smiled and just let his lips keep adoring her skin. For the first time since they had gotten together, he wasn’t rushing into that. He was eager to get her to bed of course, but this wasn’t the motive behind his gesture. 

Claire agreed to his unspoken suggestion to just enjoy the music playing in the background and kiss for a moment, enjoy each other’s company and the taste of their lips on one another. 

Her loving green eyes got lost in his hazel ones the moment he pulled back for some air, their fingers intertwined and gently playing with each other while they exchanged pecks.

The two of them slowly adjusted, their legs tangled while she hugged him close and rested her head on his chest. Owen kept his arms around her, the two of them enjoying the clear sky and the the few stars twinkling above.

Claire was quietly mouthing the words to the song they were listening to; she hadn’t realized that Owen was smiling down at her and just hearing her sing, his finger twirling a strand of her hair. 

It was one of her favorite songs and that’s why he had it on his playlist, it was still a ballad and probably the only song he played that evening that wasn't instrumental. 

Claire turned to look his way and blushed, "I like this song." She shrugged sheepishly. 

"I know..." He chuckled, and unable to break eye contact with her, Owen brushed his fingers through her hair and tucked a loose strand behind her ear. "Do you want to dance?" He offered. He wasn't the type to do so, but he felt a rush and need to hold her in his arms and just let the rhythm of Faith Hill's acoustic country slow song guide them into a moment of intimacy. 

Claire nodded softly and, letting him hold her hand, he helped her up and guided her out of their little cushioned corner to the side. Her heart started beating fast, knowing that somehow this was one of those perfect moments. The kind of moment that was so special and ran so deep into emotions; the thought of it being over soon and immediately feel nostalgic and missed how pure and genuine it was.  

Her freckled hand rested on his chest, feeling his heart beating against it. Claire closed her eyes and smiled at how safe his arms made her feel. The warmth of his embrace was capable of making her melt into him. 

Owen kept his arms around her, and led her into a smooth slow pace as they danced in the dark roof of the building they had lived in together for a while now. 

Claire focused each one of her senses on him: she gulped when she could hear him breathe into her ear after he had gently nuzzled against her cheek. 

She took a moment to think about how far they had come. She was just looking for someone to share expenses with and had ended up falling in love. Owen had managed to crumble every wall there might have been around her, and now, for the first time, she was able to appreciate one of her favorite songs in an intimate way. 

There had been many times when she had taken a second to just feel him breathe while they were watching tv cuddled on the couch or when he was still asleep. There was something so peaceful about those snippets Claire let herself have. 

Claire Dearing was positive this is exactly how love was supposed to be: make her feel like she was floating in the air but still be the rock that kept her with both her feet on the ground. How their most intimate moments were when they were just enjoying each other’s company. How he found rewarding to clean the apartment with her on the weekends just because it made her happy, and how there wasn't anything more entertaining for her than shooting bad guys in a videogame, just because they were engaging in an activity that he enjoyed. 

Claire was tearing up, Owen feeling wetness against his neck. "You are the best thing that's ever happened to me." He offered. Before meeting her, he had thought love was nothing but an illness and a mundane state of mind. "You are perfect." 

"I'm so in love with you..." She offered in a murmur when he tightened the grip around her. Claire frowned, realizing in that moment that she didn't want to spend a second of her life without him. 

"I'm in love with you, too." He offered with a light smirk. He knew what she meant. There were all kinds of love, but there was just one like theirs. 

"I want to marry you." She blurted out in a sweet whisper against his ear, the way those words resonated against him made Owen pull back and stare right into her eyes.

They said those are the windows to one's soul, and she was allowing him to see right into it. "What?" He blinked a couple of times, seeing in those beautiful mint green orbs that she was desperate to be his.

"Marry me." Her voice was shaky but not hesitant. "Owen..." She smiled, feeling nervous, but the way her eyes were glowing let him know she was being sincere. She had already said out loud what had her heart pounding fast twice, but the third time was the charm. 

His hazel eyes were gentle on hers, he was still trying to process her last words. Owen gulped when she took his hand on hers and slowly got on one knee. 

"...Will you marry me?" She giggled lovingly and for a second there, she understood why this was so hard for men to do. She was completely exposed and vulnerable in front of him, but she trusted him with all her heart — otherwise she wouldn't be placing it in his hands like this. 

"Yes." He breathed, “I’ll make you Mrs Grady.” Owen beamed and slowly kneeled in front of her. He let his fingers brush down her chin and let their lips meet for a kiss. The two of them slowly started to stand back on their feet, never breaking the kiss.

Claire hugged his neck lovingly once on her feet, and his arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to him as the kiss grew deeper. The redhead giggled against his lips when he pulled her up, letting her bend both her legs backwards as they declared their love for each other over and over.

 

_**~ • The End • ~** _


End file.
